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'We only die once ... It might as well be for Jesus'
Werner Groenewald dedicated 12 years of his life in Kabul, Afghanistan before he and his two children were killed by Taliban suicide bombers.

Hong Kong protesters clash with police at government HQ
Hong Kong police have clashed with pro-democracy activists trying to surround government offices, in some of the worst unrest in two months of protests. Protesters fought police armed with pepper spray and batons on roads around the camp in the Admiralty district. Police say 40 people have been arrested and a number of officers were injured.

Canada says citizen may have been captured in Syria
Canada is trying to confirm reports that a Canadian citizen has been captured in Syria, a foreign ministry spokesman said on Sunday. "Canada is pursuing all appropriate channels" to seek further information and is in touch with local authorities, the spokesman said in a statement.

Afghan forces ill equipped to fight Taliban without NATO
Afghan district police chief Ahmadullah Anwari only has enough grenades to hand out three to each checkpoint in an area of Helmand province swarming with Taliban insurgents who launch almost daily attacks on security forces.

WHO will miss Ebola targets it set for Dec 1
Two months ago, the World Health Organization launched an ambitious plan to stop the deadly Ebola outbreak in West Africa, aiming to isolate 70 percent of the sick and safely bury 70 percent of the victims in the three hardest-hit countries — Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone — by December 1.

Pope says it is wrong to equate Islam with violence
Pope Francis said on Sunday that equating Islam with violence was wrong and called on Muslim leaders to issue a global condemnation of terrorism to help dispel the stereotype.

30 Nov 14

Could loud boom heard over upstate New York be related to rumbling noise reported in the UK at exactly the same time?
A loud boom was reported by a number of people in upstate New York on Saturday afternoon at the same time as a similar noise was heard more than 3,000 miles away in the UK.

Jerusalem bilingual Hebrew-Arabic school ablaze in suspected hate crime
The Max Rayne Hand in Hand School, which serves more than 600 Arab and Jewish pupils from throughout Jerusalem in the capital’s Pat neighborhood, went up in flames on Saturday night. Firefighters were working to prevent its spread to the rest of the school’s facilities as they brought the fire under control.

Islamic State: Fighting intensifies in Syrian town of Kobane
Fighting has intensified in the besieged Syrian border town of Kobane, where Kurdish forces have been holding Islamic State at bay since September. IS militants launched at least four suicide attacks, with reports saying at least 25 people were killed. The first of the attacks was near the Turkish border crossing. It is thought to be the first fighting in that area.

Pope and patriarch condemn Mid-East 'persecution'
Pope Francis and the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians have condemned the treatment of many Christians in the Middle East. In a joint declaration, the Pope and Patriarch Bartholomew I said they could not resign themselves to a "Middle East without Christians". On a three-day visit to Turkey, the pontiff discussed divisions between Catholics and Orthodox Christians.

Netanyahu indicates patience running out on coalition antics
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted at Sunday's cabinet meeting that his patience with the ongoing coalition crisis is ending, saying he will “draw conclusions” if the coalition in-fighting does not cease.

Drug-Resistant Malaria Is 'Disaster in the Making,' Expert Warns
Professor Francois Nosten ran his finger over a map showing clusters of tiny dots — each marking a border village that make up ground zero for what experts fear will become the next global health emergency.

Swiss voters to reject gold initiative: TV projection
Swiss voters looked set on Sunday to clearly reject proposals that would have forced the central bank to buy up massive amounts of gold and imposed strict limits on immigration, threatening close economic ties to the European Union.

Mubarak cleared: Egypt protests as ex-leader charges dropped
Egyptian police have used tear gas to disperse protesters angry that charges against ex-President Hosni Mubarak over killings during the uprising three years ago have been dropped. About 2,000 people massed in Cairo's Tahrir Square, the birthplace of the 2011 revolution. At least one person was reported killed in the clashes.

Activists: ISIS Is Now Launching Attacks From Inside Turkey
Turkey's main Kurdish party on Saturday accused the government of turning a blind eye to—if not outright supporting—ISIS militants within its borders after suicide bombers attacked the town of Kobani along its southern border with Syria. The Turkish government vehemently denies the claims.

Syria’s Assad regime cuts subsidies, focuses ailing economy on war effort
Syria’s economy is in a tailspin, and the regime of President Bashar al-Assad is increasingly struggling to find resources to quash the four-year-old rebellion, analysts say.

China leader vows to protect territorial interests
Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a key foreign policy speech that the rising Asian nation would protect its sovereign territory, the Xinhua news agency reported, as it faces maritime disputes with several neighbours.

Could oil collapse cause next credit crisis?
It's not just the Saudis who could get much poorer from the oil price free fall. Everyone could suffer if the collapse triggers a wave of defaults through the high-yield debt market, and in turn, hits stocks. The first to fall: the banks that were last hit by the housing crisis. Why could that happen? Well, energy companies make up anywhere from 15 to 20 percent of all U.S. junk debt, according to various sources.

Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson Resigns, Hopes His "Resignation Will Allow The Community To Heal"
Days after Ferguson was torched by angry rioters following a grand jury verdict not to indict police officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown, the policeman's lawyer announced moments ago that he has resigned from the Ferguson, Mo., Police Department.

Death toll from Ebola outbreak nears 7,000 in West Africa: WHO
The death toll from the worst Ebola outbreak on record has reached nearly 7,000 in West Africa, the World Health Organization said on Saturday.

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Ebola: World Bank lowers 2014 growth for worst-hit nations
The World Bank has revised downwards its 2014 GDP growth projections for the three nations worst hit by the current Ebola outbreak - Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. "The Ebola epidemic continues to cripple the economies," it said. Its report comes as bank President Jim Yong Kim begins a two-day visit to West Africa to assess the impact. The World Health Organization (WHO) says 5,987 people have died from Ebola in the three nations.

UN suspends food aid to 1.7 million Syrian refugees
The World Food Programme (WFP) suspended food aid to more than 1.7 million Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries, blaming a financing crisis caused by unhonoured cash pledges. The Rome-based UN agency said refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt risked going hungry this winter if donors do not urgently provide the $64 million (51 million euros) needed to finance the distribution of food vouchers through December.

Putin drops South Stream gas pipeline to EU, courts Turkey
Russia on Monday scrapped the South Stream pipeline project to supply natural gas to southern Europe without crossing Ukraine, citing European Union objections, and instead named Turkey as its preferred partner for an alternative pipeline, with a promise of hefty discounts.

US-led strikes hit IS garrison, 'electronic warfare' unit
Warplanes from the US-led coalition battling the Islamic State group hit dozens of jihadist vehicles and bases, including an "electronic warfare garrison," in four days of strikes, the US military.

Total US Debt Rises Over $18 Trillion; Up 70% Under Barack Obama
Last week, total US debt was a meager $17,963,753,617,957.26. Two days later, as updated today, on Black Friday, total outstanding US public debt just hit a new historic level which probably would be better associated with a red color: as of the last work day of November, total US public debt just surpassed $18 trillion for the first time, or $18,005,549,328,561.45 to be precise, of which debt held by the public rose to $12,922,681,725,432.94, an increase of $32 billion in one day.

Palestinian woman stabs Israeli, shot by security forces
A Palestinian woman stabbed an Israeli in the occupied West Bank on Monday and was then shot and wounded by security forces, the military and police said.

Unrepentant' Nazi war criminal died in Syria, source says
SS captain Alois Brunner was second-in-command to Adolf Eichmann, who called Brunner his "best man." The news of his death in 2010 at the age of 98 came from a former German secret service agent deemed reliable by the center.

Cost Still a Barrier Between Americans and Medical Care
In U.S., 33% have put off medical treatment because of cost.

Gordon Brown 'to announce decision to stand down as MP tonight'
The former Prime Minister Gordon Brown is expected to announce his decision to stand as an MP at the next general election, it has been reported. Mr Brown is the Labour MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath and served as chancellor in Tony Blair's government between 1997 and 2003.

Time cloak used to hide messages in laser light
A "time cloak" that conceals events rather than objects can hide secret messages through a trick of light, making information invisible to all but the intended recipient. Like an invisibility cloak that makes something disappear in plain sight, a time cloak makes an event disappear in time. It works by manipulating light traveling along an optical fibre.

Wanted: A new strategy for Jerusalem
The green light given to Jewish settlement in Arab neighborhoods after Operation Protective Edge gave Hamas a unique opportunity to shake off the burden of its defeat in the Gaza conflict and instigate serious riots both in the capital and the West Bank.

Russia launches ‘wartime government’ HQ in major military upgrade
The new top-security, fortified facility in Moscow includes several large war rooms, a brand new supercomputer in the heart of a state-of-the-art data processing center, underground facilities, secret transport routes for emergency evacuation and a helicopter pad, which was deployed for the first time on Nov. 24 on the Moscow River.

Quake rattles northern Arizona
A moderate earthquake that struck near Sedona was widely felt in the area, but there were no reports of injury or damage. The U.S. Geological Survey says the magnitude-4.7 temblor struck shortly before 11 p.m. Sunday and was centered seven miles north of Sedona and six miles underground.

Israel's Radical Left Is Allied With Europe to Establish an Islamic State
Sweden and the United Kingdom have, at least on paper, recognized a Palestinian [sic] state. This recognition has no practical significance but its reverberations undermine the foundations of the State of Israel.

Fed rattled by elusive inflation, but loath to sound alarm yet
Interviews with Fed officials and those familiar with its thinking show the mood inside is more somber than the central bank's reassuring statements and evidence of robust economic health would suggest. The reason is the central bank's failure to nudge price growth up to its 2 percent target and, more importantly, signs that investors and consumers are losing faith it can get there any time soon.

China warns Britain to stay out of its affairs
Beijing has rejected criticism of its decision to bar a group of British MPs from travelling to Hong Kong, warning that foreign nations had no right to meddle in what China considered its “domestic affairs”. ...The Foreign Affairs Committee is currently holding an inquiry into the pace of political reform in Hong Kong, 30 years after the Sino-British joint declaration was signed, something that has infuriated Beijing...

Egyptian jihadis claim responsibility for killing American oil worker William Henderson
An Egyptian militant organisation allied with the Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the killing of an American oil worker. Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, which now refers to itself as the Sinai Province, said on its official Twitter account late on Sunday that it killed William Henderson. It published pictures of his passport and two identification cards. It did not say when or how it killed him.

Abbas Presents 'Plan of Attack' for Palestinian State
More details have been released regarding Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas's speech to the Arab League on Saturday revealing that Abbas has concocted a comprehensive plan to flatten Israel politically and bypass the need for bilateral negotiations to establish a Palestinian state.

US, Turkey Close to Deal on Joint Action against ISIS
US, coalition partners to receive access to Turkish air bases for launching air strikes. Citing officials from both the U.S. and Turkey, the paper reported that the proposed deal would allow the U.S. and its coalition partners access to Turkish air bases for launching air strikes.

CHANCE OF FLARES
Two sunspots poised to explode are turning toward Earth.

Earthquakes Shake Central Oklahoma
The U.S. Geological Survey reports three earthquakes in Oklahoma, including one with a preliminary magnitude of 4.2. Sheriff's officials say there are no reports of injury or of significant damage, although there were reports of people being jolted awake by the temblors.

Khamenei tells Iran armed forces to build up 'irrespective' of diplomacy
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Sunday the armed forces should increase their combat capability regardless of political considerations, in an apparent allusion to continuing nuclear talks with the West aimed at easing tension in the Middle East.

UN climate talks begin as global temperatures break records
UN climate negotiators are meeting in Peru to try to advance talks on a new global agreement. One hundred and ninety-five nations have committed to finalising a new climate pact in Paris by 2015's end. The process has been boosted by recent developments, including a joint announcement on cutting carbon by the US and China.

Ebola crisis: Huge risk of spread - UN's Tony Banbury
The head of the UN Ebola response mission in West Africa has told the BBC there is still a "huge risk" the deadly disease could spread to other parts of the world. Tony Banbury declined to say if targets he had set in the fight against Ebola, to be achieved by Monday, had been met. The targets were for the proportion of people being treated and for the safe burial of highly infectious bodies.

Cheap Oil A Boon For The Economy? Think Again
The oil industry is no longer what it once was, it’s not even a normal industry anymore. Oil companies sell assets and borrow heavily, then buy back their own stock and pay out big dividends. What kind of business model is that? Well, not the kind that can survive a 40% cut in revenue for long. Cheap oil a boon for the economy? You might want to give that some thought.

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Study: Offshore Fault Where The 'Big One' Originates Eerily Quiet
Any parent of a rambunctious youngster can tell you trouble might be afoot when things go quiet in the playroom. Two independent research initiatives indicate there is a comparable situation with the Cascadia earthquake fault zone.

Guess What Happened The Last Time The Price Of Oil Crashed Like This?…
The last time this happened was during the second half of 2008, and the beginning of that oil price crash preceded the great financial collapse that happened later that year by several months. Well, now it is happening again, but this time the stakes are even higher. When the price of oil falls dramatically, that is a sign that economic activity is slowing down.

Ohio’s Portman Opts Out of 2016 Race as Jeb Bush Hints He’s In
For months, Republicans said that Portman, who is close to former Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, would not run for president if former Florida Governor Jeb Bush sought the party’s 2016 nomination. Jeb Bush said at a Wall Street Journal conference yesterday that he will make a decision soon.

Scientists Predicting Strength of Future Earthquakes
Scientists know where earthquakes are likely to take place. But it is difficult for them to predict how strong an earthquake will be. Now, American researchers have found that it may be possible to predict the strength of future quakes.

Louisiana Democrat: Vote Multiple Times, You Won't Be Prosecuted
Democratic officials and campaign operatives have been caught on tape encouraging illegal voting on several occasions in recent election cycles, and anti-voter ID activists have literally cheered a swing-state poll worker who was convicted of the practice.

Pope's anti-slavery drive gets multifaith support
Pope Francis and the Anglican archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, were joined Tuesday by Hindu guru Mata Amritanandamayi, as well as Jewish, Buddhist, and Shiite and Sunni Muslim representatives for a signing ceremony of a joint declaration against modern slavery.

Earthquake Shook Mexico City
Four aftershocks of lesser intensity were registered in the Mexican capital early morning today after an earthquake of 3.4 magnitude on the Richter scale.

Vanuatu hangings lead to fears of sorcery violence spreading across Pacific
Mass arrests in Vanuatu after village hanging of alleged sorcerers raises concerns that witchcraft mob violence may be spreading across the Pacific.

Obama's plan to shut down Guantanamo Bay detainee facility suffers major setback
Obama’s plan to close the federal prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba hit a major snag Monday as lawmakers finalizing the annual defense policy bill rejected steps to shut down the facility. The final defense bill will not have a provision giving the president the power to transfer terror suspects to the U.S. if Congress signs off on the plan, said Sen. Carl Levin.

Understanding Islamic Terrorism as Religious Sacrifice
Islamic terrorism is founded upon assorted fantasies of redemption through sacrifice. Today, the universal Jihadist rallying cry, "We love death," animates much of what is presented publicly as "liberation" or "self-determination," and is common to a broad variety of terrorist groups. This variegated collection includes both Sunni and Shia elements.

U.S. to discuss possible new Russia sanctions with European allies
Kerry will talk to European allies this week about imposing further sanctions on Russia if pro-Moscow separatists in eastern Ukraine do not halt violence, a senior State Department official said on Tuesday.

Students Urge Gov't: Recognize Abbas's Role in Munich Massacre
Over the past several years, it has been revealed on multiple occasions that Abbas was closely linked to Munich mastermind Abu Daoud. Abbas praised Abu Daoud in 2010, saying "he was one of the leading figures of Fatah and spent his life in resistance and sincere work as well as physical sacrifice for his people's just causes."

Comparison of Pope's Joint Statement in Turkey vs Jerusalem: Jews dropped from dialogue in Turkey statement
Muslims and Christians are called to work together for the sake of justice, peace and respect for the dignity and rights of every person, especially in those regions where they once lived for centuries in peaceful coexistence

Jeb Bush urges U.S. Republicans to lead, not just oppose Obama
Republicans need to take advantage of their majority in the U.S. Congress to pass bills rather than simply opposing Democratic President Barack Obama's priorities, potential presidential candidate Jeb Bush said on Monday.

Lebanese Army detains wife, son of ISIS leader
A wife and a son of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi have been arrested by the Lebanese Army, Beirut security officials said. They were detained in coordination with "foreign intelligence apparatus,” reported the local press.

Islamic State May Possess Nuclear Material Stolen From Iraq: Report
Islamic State terror group may have developed a nuclear device by using radioactive uranium stolen from Iraq's Mosul University after seizing control of the city last June, according to a British media report.

Ebola response refined amid efforts to bring outbreak under control
Marking 60 days since the establishment of the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER), its chief said the set target on safe burials has been exceeded in the three worst-affected countries – Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone – while the second target on isolating patients had been reached in Liberia and Guinea, but only in some parts of Sierra Leone.

Magnitude 6.4 earthquake hits seas off S. Philippines
A magnitude-6.4 earthquake jolted seas off the southern Philippine province of Sultan Kudarat at 1: 11 p.m. local time (0511 GMT) on Tuesday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) reported.

US attorney general calls for end to racial profiling
US Attorney General Eric Holder has announced plans to "help end racial profiling once and for all". He was speaking in Atlanta in the wake of mass protests surrounding the shooting dead of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown by a white policeman. Mr Holder was speaking at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta where Martin Luther King preached.

Pope blasts Christian, Muslim fundamentalists while leaving Turkey
Pope Francis said on Sunday that equating Islam with violence was wrong and called on Muslim leaders to issue a global condemnation of terrorism to help dispel the stereotype. Francis, the leader of 1.2 billion Roman Catholics, told reporters aboard his plane returning from a visit to Turkey that he understood why Muslims were offended by many in the West who automatically equated their religion with terrorism.

Rise of Islamic schooling in Turkey upsets secular parents
Turkey has seen a sharp rise in religious schooling under reforms which President Tayyip Erdogan casts as a defense against moral decay, but which opponents see as an unwanted drive to shape a more Islamic nation. Almost a million students are enrolled in "imam hatip" schools this year, up from just 65,000 in 2002 when Erdogan's Islamist-rooted AK Party first came to power, he told the opening of one of the schools in Ankara last month.

UN envoy to request set date to establish Palestinian state in next round of peace talks
Palestinian envoy to the UN Riyad Mansour said Tuesday that by the end of December, he will submit a first draft of a request to renew peace talks with Israel to the UN Security Council, which will include a set date for establishing a Palestinian state, according to Israel Radio. Mansour said that the request draft will also include a date by which the Israeli and the Palestinian delegations must come to an agreement.

Livni: New elections are to replace extremist, provocative, paranoid government
Justice Minister Tzipi Livni on Tuesday let loose at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying the impending elections will "not be over zero value added tax," but over replacing a government she accused of "extremism, provocativeness and paranoia" without knowing how to fight terror while also "upholding freedom and Zionism."

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Islamic State setting up Libya training camps, US says
Islamic State militants have set up training camps in eastern Libya, the head of the US Africa command says. Gen David Rodriguez said there could be "a couple of hundred'' IS fighters undergoing training at the sites. He said the camps were at a very early stage, but the US was watching them "carefully to see how it develops".

U.S. leads 25 more air strikes against Islamic State militants: CENTCOM
The United States military launched 14 more strikes against Islamic State militants in Syria and led 11 strikes in Iraq since Monday, according to U.S. Central command.

Feds balk at releasing docs showing IRS sharing tax returns with White House
Less than a week after ’fessing up that it found some 2,500 documents potentially showing that the IRS shared taxpayer returns with the White House, the Obama administration has reversed course and won’t release the trove to a group suing for access.

Super Typhoon Hagupit 2014 a monster storm on path for Philippines
Hurricane season is over for the Atlantic and East Pacific, but it's still going strong farther west where a super typhoon is headed toward the Philippines. Super Typhoon Hagupit had maximum sustained winds of 150 mph Wednesday afternoon and gusts of up to 184 mph, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

Protests Erupt After Cop in Eric Garner Chokehold Death Not Indicted
A crowd of protesters briefly took over a section of Manhattan's West Side Highway and were in a standoff with police Wednesday evening, hours after a grand jury declined to indict a white police officer in the death of an unarmed black man on Staten Island earlier this summer — in a case that was recorded on video and showed the dead man crying "I can't breathe."

03 Dec 14

Jordan pushing for UN resolution on Mideast peace
Jordan on Tuesday launched a bid to win backing for a UN resolution calling for a final Israeli-Palestinian peace deal that could be presented to the Security Council in the coming weeks. “We are going to try to make it before Christmas, if not it will be in January.

8 Clear Signs of a Compromising Church
1. In the confessing church, Christ is over culture. The compromising church accommodates Christ to culture. The confessing church believes Jesus is Lord over all creation. Hence, they attempt to reflect Christ in every area of culture. The compromising church has a posture of accommodation.

Philippines, the Andean Margin and Arizona: Earthquakes 27 November-3 December
Another week, and the Earth is still trembling...........

Did CNN Have an Agenda in Ferguson?
The New York Post is accusing CNN of lying in its coverage of protests in Ferguson, Missouri, after a grand jury's decision not to indict a white police officer for shooting to death the unarmed black 18-year-old Michael Brown last summer.

National debt exceeds $18T, sparking renewed criticism of spending under Obama
The national debt has passed the $18 trillion mark, sparking renewed criticism Tuesday from Republicans and other fiscal conservatives over the soaring trajectory of government spending under President Obama.

Scientists discover Earth protected by a Star Trek like invisible shield
An invisible shield, some 7,200 miles (11,600 km) above Earth, has been found blocking ‘killer electrons’ from bombarding our planet. These electrons can whip around the planet at near-light speed and have been known to threaten astronauts, fry satellites and damage space systems. If they hit Earth on a large scale, they could knock out power grids, radically changing the planet’s climate and driving up rates of cancer. But while scientists know this mysterious shield exists, they are baffled as to how it formed and how exactly it works.

Monarchy Infidelity: King Richard III’s DNA Places Doubt On Queen Elizabeth’s Claim To England Throne
The DNA proves that somewhere in the male lineage of Richard III, infidelity took place. The infidelity could mean that Queen Elizabeth’s right to rule is in question. According to BBC, depending on where in the family tree the infidelity occurred, it could cast doubt on the Tudor claim to the English throne or, indeed, on Richard’s.

Patient Isolated over Ebola Fears in Boston
Person suffering Ebola symptoms who recently was in an infected area put in isolation and given tests; possibly first Massachusetts case.

North Korea accuses US of developing Ebola virus
An editorial in the Pyongyang Times on Monday claims that the US may have developed the Ebola virus and intentionally allowed it to spread throughout West Africa and the rest of the world.

Satellites detect abundant sulfur dioxide emissions from erupting Pogo volcano, Cape Verde Islands
Satellite sensors keep detecting abundant sulfur dioxide emissions in the region which have the potential to create acid rain. Gas and dust concentrations in the southern part of the island have been high enough to cause health problems (breathing disorders, vomiting, dizziness, headaches etc),

Egyptian court sentences 185 to death for attack on police
An Egyptian judge sentenced 185 people to death on Tuesday over an attack on a police station on the outskirts of Cairo last year in which police officers were killed.

ELECTRIC-BLUE CLOUDS SPREADING OVER ANTARCTICA
Earlier this year, AIM researchers announced a surprising teleconnection: The apparition of NLCs in the southern hemisphere is linked to cold air temperatures thousands of miles away in the northern hemisphere.

More than 1,400 people being actively monitored for Ebola in U.S.: report
“They are being monitored because they came from one of the four countries with ongoing Ebola outbreaks,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, according to Ms. Attkisson, an independent investigative journalist who previously worked for CBS News.

John Boehner and Harry Reid Agree to Bipartisan Funding of Obama’s Amnesty Plan
News reports indicate that the House GOP plans to surrender to the President and avoid taking a stand against his unconstitutional executive amnesty. Even leftwing media outlets agree that the plan is a unilateral surrender.

Iran bombs Islamic State targets in Iraq, says Pentagon
Iran has conducted air strikes against Islamic State (IS) targets in eastern Iraq during recent days, a Pentagon spokesman says. Rear Adm John Kirby said the US, which has conducted its own air strikes in Iraq, was not co-ordinating with Iran.

Netanyahu seeks early election, fires top ministers
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sacked his finance and justice ministers on Tuesday, signaling the break up of his bickering coalition and opening the way for early national elections in Israel.

Atheist Group Introduces Billboard Designed to Provoke Christmas Believers
A billboard debuted in Milwaukee on Monday that might raise eyebrows. It’s called “Skip Church” and is intended to coincide with the holidays.

Sinking of Kremlin gas project leaves south-east Europe high and dry
The European Union's diplomatic victory in forcing the Kremlin to cancel its South Stream pipeline also gives Brussels a headache: how to come up with an alternative source of secure gas supply for south-eastern Europe.

US says Iranian fighter jets bomb IS jihadists in Iraq
Iranian fighter jets struck Islamic State militants in eastern Iraq in recent days, the Pentagon said, signaling Tehran's determination to confront the jihadists and Washington's tacit partnership with arch-foe Iran.

UN resolution: Israel must renounce nuclear arms
The U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly approved an Arab-backed resolution Tuesday calling on Israel to renounce possession of nuclear weapons and put its nuclear facilities under international oversight.

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Putin Vows to Punish Speculators Pushing Down Ruble’s Value
President Vladimir Putin vowed to punish speculators attacking the ruble with “harsh” measures in a defiant speech that reached into Russian history to defend his annexation of Crimea and compared his international opponents with Adolf Hitler.

It’s official: America is now No. 2
Hang on to your hats, America. And throw away that big, fat styrofoam finger while you’re about it. There’s no easy way to say this, so I’ll just say it: We’re no longer No. 1. Today, we’re No. 2. Yes, it’s official. The Chinese economy just overtook the United States economy to become the largest in the world. For the first time since Ulysses S. Grant was president, America is not the leading economic power on the planet. It just happened — and almost nobody noticed.

Mexican criminal aliens stealing Puerto Rican identities ignored by media
In the past, whenever an American citizen or a police officer complained that there are illegal aliens from Latin American countries impersonating Puerto Ricans in order to avoid arrest and deportation, he or she would be met with ridicule and contempt by politicians and their cohorts inhabiting the nation’s newsrooms.

Could falling oil prices spark a financial crisis?
The oil and gas boom in the United States was made possible by the extensive credit afforded to drillers. Not only has financing come from company shareholders and traditional banks, but hundreds of billions of dollars have also come from junk-bond investors looking for high returns.

The Dark Forces Behind America’s Racial Jihad
The recent racial hysteria that has engulfed Ferguson, Missouri, and other parts of the United States has shown that Islamist-type jihad is not the only kind of “holy war” plaguing America. The unspoken jihad - or intifada - that plagues America is a racial jihad engendered by radical black urban racial terrorists. This jihad is created, nurtured, perpetrated and perpetuated by the unholy trinity of the mainstream media, black supremacists, and cowardly, spineless and feckless white politicians. And it is a jihad that threatens to engulf America into a racial firestorm not seen since the War Between the States (a.k.a., the Civil War).

Oliver North: Hillary Wrote Off Presidency With Statement
Hillary Clinton has written off any chance of becoming president when she said in a Wednesday speech that America must have empathy for its enemies, said Lt. Col. Oliver North. In a speech at Georgetown University, Clinton said "smart power" is using every possible tool and partner to advance peace and security.

17 States Sue Over Obama Immigration Order
Texas is leading a multistate coalition in suing over the Obama administration's recently announced executive actions on immigration. Many top Republicans have denounced the president's unilateral move designed to spare as many as 5 million people living illegally in the United States from deportation. But Texas Gov.-elect Greg Abbott took it a step further with filing a lawsuit in federal court in the Southern District of Texas.

The Obamavirus
After six years of Obama’s rule the sickness caused by his Obamavirus is so widespread it may soon destroy our nation. Prior to now it has only been possible to observe the Obamavirus phenomenon and document its ravaging of our rights, our Constitution and our lives. No further observation is necessary. We understand the Obamavirus well enough.

Republican-led House blocks Obama immigration plan
Washington - In a symbolic rebuke to US President Barack Obama's unilateral action on immigration, the Republican-led House of Representatives voted Thursday to block his plan to shield millions of people from deportation.

French Jews: Attack highlights anti-Semitism fears
An attack on a French couple is reviving worries about anti-Semitic sentiment in France amid a rising number of incidents targeting Jews, especially during the Gaza war earlier this year. Assailants this week forced their way into an apartment in the Paris suburb of Creteil, tied up a young man and woman, demanded money and raped the woman, according to authorities

ISIS Is Growing Its ‘Terror Army’ of Global Jihadists
In its most recent gruesome video, ISIS made 22 of its members behead what they claimed was a group of Syrian army officers and pilots. But this time, with the notable exception of British leader Jihad John, the executioners showed their faces. At least one of them was Asian. Some others were white. Two French citizens are thought to be in that video, among other nationalities.

Pacific NW Fault Goes Silent, Maybe Be Indicator of Major Earthquake
The Cascadia fault zone expected to cause the next big earthquake in the Pacific Northwest has gone silent, and experts believe the silence could be an indicator of a massive killer earthquake, according to the Daily Mail.

Oklahoma now leads nation in earthquakes
Oklahoma has officially passed up California regarding the prevalence of earthquakes, according to Woodward County Emergency Manager Matt Lehenbauer. And they're still happening on an almost weekly basis.

Satanic Temple Approved For Capitol Holiday Display
Florida’s Capitol will have a new holiday decoration this year. The Satanic Temple will be among its nativity scenes and secular presentations. It’s for Festivus, a non-commercial festival “for the rest of us,” is close to coming back as a 6-foot stack of empty beer cans. The Florida Department of Management Services this week approved the proposed holiday display from the Satanic Temple, which a year ago was rejected because the agency said its proposal was “grossly offensive.”

It’s official: America is now No. 2
Hang on to your hats, America. And throw away that big, fat styrofoam finger while you’re about it. There’s no easy way to say this, so I’ll just say it: We’re no longer No. 1. Today, we’re No. 2. Yes, it’s official. The Chinese economy just overtook the United States economy to become the largest in the world. For the first time since Ulysses S. Grant was president, America is not the leading economic power on the planet.

Putin says foes hope to dismember Russia; rouble falls
"We are ready to meet any challenge of the times and win," he declared to applause from an audience of 1,000 dignitaries, almost all of them loyal supporters.

Blackholes Align in ‘Spooky’ Way, Showing Great Order of Universe
New observations with the European Southern Observatory’s (ESO’s) Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile have revealed that the rotation axes of supermassive black holes at the center of galaxies align with each other across billions of light-years.

'Aggressor nation' bill put to parliament
State Duma deputies have drafted a motion defining all countries that introduce sanctions against Russia as “aggressor nations” and ordering automatic reciprocal sanctions against them.

U.S. Confirms ISIS Has Training Camps in Libya
The head of the U.S. Africa Command said on Wednesday that Washington is “very carefully” watching what he described as “nascent” Islamic State (ISIS) training camps in Libya.

What Will the Next Financial Crisis Look Like—and Are We Ready?
In the six years since Lehman’s collapse, much effort has gone into thinking about the next crisis and about how to strengthen financial rules and practices so that the fallout is contained. Has this effort been productive? Will the repercussions of the next crisis be less damaging? The answer, as with many things economic, is: it depends.

Before Beheading, Children Tell ISIS: 'No, We Love Jesus'
"ISIS turned up and they said to the children, 'You say the words that you will follow Muhammad,'"'No, we love Yasua. We have always loved Yasua. We have always followed Yasua. (This spelling is similar to the Hebrew name, Yeshua, which is translated "Jesus" in English and Spanish.) Yasua has always been with us,'" White recounted. "[The militants] said, 'Say the words!' [The children] said, 'No, we can't do that.' "They chopped all their heads off."

Lebanon: DNA test says child is IS head's daughter
Lebanon's interior minister says DNA tests have confirmed that a child held by authorities is the daughter of the Islamic State group's leader.

Putin: Crimea is as sacred to Russia as the Temple Mount is to the Jews
Crimea is as sacred to Russia as Jerusalem's Temple Mount is to Jews, Russian President Vladimir Putin says. In his annual speech on Thursday Putin defended the Kremlin's aggressive foreign policy, saying the actions are necessary for his country's survival.

States sue Obama administration on immigration
A coalition of 17 U.S. states sued the Obama administration on Wednesday saying it acted illegally by issuing an executive order to ease the threat of deportation for millions of immigrants who are in the country without the proper documents.

EU, NATO agree to strengthen defense cooperation
European Council President Donald Tusk and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday agreed to continue close cooperation for a stronger defense. The two leaders agreed in a meeting that a strong NATO ensures stability in Europe, and a stronger Europe also contributes to a strong NATO.

Human foetus cells injected into baby mice to create ‘supermouse’
The cells from a human foetus have been injected into baby mice to create animals which have brains that are half human. Although Professor Goldman said that the cells did not make the mice ‘more human’ he admitted that the team had stopped short at injecting the cells into monkeys. “We briefly considered it buy decided not to because of all the potential ethical issues,” added Prof Goldman.

After France, Belgian parliament in line to recognize ‘Palestine’
Belgium is the next country likely to make some type of move toward recognizing “Palestine,” though it is not clear what form that recognition will take.

Putin says Russia will overcome any challenge
President Vladimir Putin portrayed Russia as a strong state on Thursday that would overcome its current difficulties.

Australia exercises sweeping new security laws, bans Syria travel
Australia on Thursday for the first time exercised sweeping new security powers allowing it to block citizens from travelling to overseas conflict zones such as those in Iraq and Syria, where dozens of Australians have joined Islamist militant groups.

Massive New ‘Wilderness’ Designation Slipped Into Defense Authorization Bill
A proposal to designate more than 250,000 acres in the western U.S. as “wilderness” — thereby placing severe restrictions on land use and having the potential to ultimately drive ranchers out of business — was quietly inserted into the National D


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Saudis Fire Again in Oil War Against U.S. Shale
Saudi Arabia launched a third-wave attack this week in its oil price war with the U.S. shale oil producer. First they cut prices, then they refused to cut production, and now they cut prices again.

A Resounding Public Support for Palestine Around the World
Politicians holding down the floodgates against a public display of support for the state of Palestine were embarrassed in recent weeks. As soon as these political gatekeepers allowed their rank and file to express their positions, tremendous backing came for Palestine and its people. This happened in the British House of Commons, where an overwhelming number of MPs voted for Palestine, followed by Spain and, this week, by France.

GOP Chairman: We Should Legislate That Not One Person Is Thrown Out or Deported
During a House Rules Committee hearing on legislation to curb some of the reach in President Obama’s executive action on immigration, Chairman Pete Sessions (R-Tex.) said he was working with House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) to push a bill to ensure that not one illegal is removed from the United States “unless they were dangerous to this country and committed a crime.”

Labor Force Participation Remains at 36-Year Low
The labor force participation rate remained at a 36-year low of 62.8 percent in November, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The participation rate, which is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutional population who participated in the labor force by either having a job during the month or actively seeking one, was 62.8 percent in November which matches the percentage since March 1978.

Report: Obama Eyes Sanctions on Israel While Giving Iran a Pass
Senior White House and State Department officials have recently met to discuss the possibility of imposing sanctions on Israel in an effort to stop housing construction projects in eastern Jerusalem. The report – which comes as the Obama administration is lobbying furiously against new sanctions on Iran over its illicit nuclear program — is likely to trigger new bipartisan concern on Capitol Hill over the direction of U.S. Mideast policy.

Congress Demands Obama Explain Rumored Sanctions Against Israel
Members of Congress are demanding that President Obama come clean about controversial reports that he is considering leveling sanctions on Israel, according to a letter sent Friday afternoon by lawmakers to the White House.

U.S.-led forces conduct 20 air strikes against Islamic State
The United States and partner nations have conducted 20 air strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria and Iraq since Wednesday, the U.S. Central Command said on Friday. Five of six air strikes by U.S. military forces in Syria targeted the contested city of Kobani near the border with Turkey, Centcom said in a statement. Those destroyed six Islamic State fighting positions and a heavy weapon, it said.

US absence in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process is prompting Arabs and Europeans to jump in. But are prospects for them any better than they were
US absence in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process is prompting Arabs and Europeans to jump in. But are prospects for them any better than they were for the United States?With the United States sitting on the sidelines, Arab and European countries alarmed at a steady uptick in tensions between Israelis and Palestinians are pushing ahead with efforts to get the two sides talking again and moving toward resolution of their long conflict.

This Isn’t Education, It’s Indoctrination’: Notre Dame Offers Seminar On White Privilege
“This six-week preparatory class is designed to educate and train White Privilege Conference delegation participants on the definitions of, historical/current paradigm of, and causes/effects of white privilege.” (RELATED: White Privilege Conference: Being White Is Like Being An Alcoholic)

A White House Connection in the IRS Scandal?
It has recently come to light that the Obama Administration’s Treasury Department is in possession of over 2,500 pages of documents that may show that the IRS and the White House were colluding to illegally obtain confidential taxpayer information and that the White House used that information in an attempt to harm its political enemies.

M6-CLASS SOLAR FLARE (UPDATED)
The explosion did not hurl a CME into space, so Earth-effects of the blast were limited to a brief HF radio blackout around the western hemisphere. NOAA forecasters estimate a 40% chance of additional M-flares during the next 24 hours.

Man who filmed choking of Eric Garner indicted
On the same day one grand jury decided not to indict officer Daniel Pantaleo in the death of Eric Garner, an unarmed black man who was killed after being put in a chokehold last July, a different jury did indict 22-year-old Ramsey Orta, the man who captured Garner’s death on camera.

Denver student protesters cheered when car struck officer, union official says
The Denver Police Protective Association has learned that immediately after the horrible accident yesterday injuring four Denver Police Officers, several parties in the protesting group cheered and chanted “hit him again.” These actions are not only reprehensible but quite possibly the most disturbing thing this Association has ever heard,” a statement released by the police officers’ union Thursday night said.

Israel's Radical Left Is Allied With Europe to Establish an Islamic State
Sweden and the United Kingdom have, at least on paper, recognized a Palestinian [sic] state. This recognition has no practical significance but its reverbations undermine the foundations of the State of Israel. It is striking that. 550 Israelis have signed a petition calling for the Spanish Parliament to emulate Sweden and to also recognize the "Palestinian" enemy on the western side of the Jordan River.

What to look out for in Israeli elections
From Lieberman's peace plan, to Kachlon's new party, to a rise in Israeli Arab voter turnout – these are a number of the less discussed factors that could prove decisive in upcoming election.

Rick Warren’s Call for Christians to Unite With Catholics, ‘Holy Father’ Raising Concerns
Rick Warren is calling for Christians to unite with Roman Catholics and “Pope Francis,” who Warren recently referred to as the “Holy Father”—a move that is raising concerns among Christians nationwide and is resulting in calls for Warren to repent. Warren made the comments following his visit to the Vatican last month, where he spoke at an interfaith conference on the “Complementarity of Man and Woman.”

‘You Just Can’t Say That': ‘Pope Francis’ Asserts Islam Can’t Be Equated With Violence
On his flight back to Rome after visiting Turkey, the Roman Catholic Pontiff known as Pope Francis told reporters that Islam should not be equated with terrorism and violence–a statement that some may disagree with considering the teachings of the religion.

West behind falling ruble, oil prices - Russian spy chief
Washington and its allies are pursuing a regime change policy towards Russia, deliberately introducing sanctions and attacking the ruble through manipulation of world oil prices, the head of Russia's external intelligence agency has said.

In Kenya, police kill suspects with near-impunity
In Kenya, where the police have long been known to harbor death squads, evidence mounts that many ordinary cops on the beat have turned into killers — doling out death to terror suspects, civilians, even children.

Jordan's King: World must stand up to radicals
Jordan's King Abdullah says the threat posed by the Islamic State organization represents a struggle between "good and evil." He says in an interview broadcast Friday that a "pan-regional" approach is needed and nations now arrayed against the Islamic radicals must "stand up and say what is right and what is wrong."

Police vs politicians on the Temple Mount
On Tuesday, Danino sparked the ire of many on the Right when he said, “Anyone who wants to change the status quo on the Temple Mount should not be allowed up there,” leveling criticism at what he called an “extreme right-wing agenda to change the status quo” there.

Man arrested for threatening to assassinate Netanyahu
The threat came to light during a conversation with a social worker. The social worker notified police and the man was arrested in his home.

Brent falls close to $69 after Saudi price cut
Brent crude fell close to $69 a barrel on Friday, putting it on track for a second weekly decline, as cuts to official selling prices from Saudi Arabia reverberated across the market.

Police protests spread
The wave of protests began after no charges were brought against Officer Daniel Pantaleo for his role in a confrontation that killed Eric Garner. A bystander caught the incident on a video that has been shown repeatedly.

Italian Ebola victim's condition worsens
An Italian doctor suffering from Ebola is in intensive care after his condition worsened, a spokeswoman for the hospital treating him said on Friday. The 50-year-old Sicilian contracted Ebola while working for the humanitarian group Emergency in Sierra Leone, one of the countries worst hit by the virus.

Differing forecasts widen scope of Typhoon Hagupit
A ferocious and dangerously erratic typhoon blew closer to the Philippines Friday, as differing forecasts about its path _ one predicting it will graze the capital Manila _ prompted a much wider swath of the country to prepare for a weekend of destructive winds and rain.

Reports: Obama Mulling Sanctions on Israel
The Obama administration is refusing to discuss reports that...the White House is considering imposing sanctions on Israel for continuing construction on Jewish homes in Jerusalem. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf dodged several questions on Thursday when confronted with reports that the administration had held secret internal meetings to discuss taking action against Israel for its ongoing building in East Jerusalem.

Hamas: Netanyahu is playing with fire by allowing Jews on Temple Mount
Khaled Mashaal, the leader of Hamas, railed against Jews being allowed to visit the Temple Mount and justified the recent wave in Palestinian terror attacks... "Netanyahu is playing with fire when he allows members of his government and the extremists to repeatedly storm the al-Aksa mosque," he said. "That's dangerous. For every action, there's a reaction."

Putin Vows to Punish Speculators Pushing Down Ruble’s Value
President Vladimir Putin vowed to punish speculators attacking the ruble with “harsh” measures in a defiant speech that reached into Russian history to defend his annexation of Crimea and compared his international opponents with Adolf Hitler.

It’s official: America is now No. 2
Hang on to your hats, America. And throw away that big, fat styrofoam finger while you’re about it. There’s no easy way to say this, so I’ll just say it: We’re no longer No. 1. Today, we’re No. 2. Yes, it’s official. The Chinese economy just overtook the United States economy to become the largest in the world. For the first time since Ulysses S. Grant was president, America is not the leading economic power on the planet. It just happened — and almost nobody noticed.

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Islamic State group support grows in Jordan town
Local authorities quickly stripped away public signs of support for the Islamic State group in this desert town. Black flags have been removed from rooftops. Graffiti proclaiming the extremists' imminent victory have been whitewashed.

Oil News: Massive Energy Bond Defaults Are the Next Big Worry
Investors aren't just selling off oil stocks these days. The junk bonds, or noninvestment-rated bonds, of energy companies are also beginning to see heavy selling as investors start to worry that drillers could one day default on these bonds. Those defaults could get so bad, according to one analyst, that up to 40% of all energy junk bonds go into default over the next few years if oil prices don't recover.

Putin pushes back: Beware the wounded Russian bear
Contrary to what he would like us to believe, things are going very poorly for Vladimir Putin these days. Having found the West more united than he expected on the issue of sanctions against Russia, he now discovers that the bottom has fallen out of the international oil market. As if that were not enough, he also finds Europe nixing his pet Southstream gas pipeline, supposed to run under the Black Sea, which he had hoped would increase Russia’s energy stranglehold over Ukraine and the rest of Europe.

Israeli Nukes Meets Atomic Irony in the Middle East
The stated rationale for the United States casting on Tuesday one of the very lonely votes it sometimes casts at the United Nations General Assembly, on matters on which almost the entire world sees things differently, warrants some reflection.

6.0-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes off Indonesian Coast
A 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck off Indonesian coast of Yamdena Island, the US Geological Survey reports. The quakes took place at around 10 p.m. GMT, with the epicenter 222 km (138 miles) to the northwest of Saumlaki town, located on Yamdena island. The quake happened at a depth of 117.3 km (72.9 miles).

Panama Earthquake 2014 Today: Terremoto Strikes Off Coast
USGS indicates to news that a 5.8 magnitude Panama earthquake today December 6, 2014 began moments ago, just after 12:21 pm local time. The quake was shallow. Reps tell news that it started only twenty-two miles below sea level. As a result the quake could be felt on land.

EPA’s New Power Grab Includes Rain Water, says AMAC
‘The agency seeks to expand the definition of the waterways it regulates to include puddles’

Obama nominates Ashton Carter for Pentagon chief
President Barack Obama on Friday nominated veteran defense expert Ashton Carter as his defense secretary, a job that will require him to tackle messy wars in the Middle East and Afghanistan and try to fend off potentially damaging budget cuts. In Carter, Obama chose a policy expert who has worked for 11 defense secretaries.

Iran reportedly confirms air strikes in Iraq against Islamic State
A senior Iranian official has confirmed his country carried out air strikes in neighbouring Iraq against Islamic State fighters at the request of Iraqi authorities, Britain's Guardian newspaper reported. ...The purpose of the strikes was "the defense of the interests of our friends in Iraq", the newspaper quoted Rahimpour as saying in an interview in London.

Study: California Drought Worst in 1200 Years
This week's statewide rains have made little impact in relieving California's extreme drought. In fact, according to a new scientific study, this drought is the worst that California has experienced in 1200 years. Researchers studying tree rings concluded that "the current event is the most severe drought in the last 1200 years, with single year (2014) and accumulated moisture deficits worse than any previous continuous span of dry years."

Philippines Typhoon Hagupit evacuation stepped up
About half a million people have fled coastal villages and evacuated their homes in the Philippines as a powerful storm approaches the archipelago. Typhoon Hagupit, which weakened slightly on Friday night, is due to make landfall on Saturday evening. It is on course for the Eastern and Northern Samar provinces and the city of Tacloban, where thousands were killed by Typhoon Haiyan a year ago.

UK to establish £15m permanent Mid East military base
Britain is to establish its first permanent military base in the Middle East since it formally withdrew from the region in 1971. The base, at the Mina Salman Port in Bahrain, will host ships including destroyers and aircraft carriers. The UK said it was an "expansion of the Royal Navy's footprint" and would "reinforce stability" in the Gulf.

Haiti capital hit by anti-government clashes
Thousands of anti-government protesters have clashed with police in Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince. They burned tyres and threw stones at officers who responded with tear gas. The protesters want President Michel Martelly and Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe to resign and long-overdue elections to be held.

Herzog: I will be the next prime minister
Opposition leader Isaac Herzog said Friday night that he believes he will be Israel's next prime minister. "I will form the next coalition and lead Israel in a new direction," said Herzog,...Speaking about the recent spate of terror attacks...he said Israel must strive to understand the lack of hope in Palestinian society that is the impetus for such attacks.

Luke Somers, American Hostage Killed in Yemen, Had ‘Wanderlust’
Luke Somers, an American who was killed during a rescue attempt against his al-Qaida captors in Yemen, had been working as a freelance photographer and editor in that country, and those who knew him say he had “wanderlust” and was drawn to new experiences.

Near Earth Asteroids
(Scroll down a bit) On December 6, 2014 there were 1522 potentially hazardous asteroids.

Five injured in southwest China earthquake
Five people were injured after a 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck southwest China's Yunnan Province early Saturday morning, local authorities confirmed.

Saudis Fire Again in Oil War Against U.S. Shale
Saudi Arabia launched a third-wave attack this week in its oil price war with the U.S. shale oil producer. First they cut prices, then they refused to cut production, and now they cut prices again.

A Resounding Public Support for Palestine Around the World
Politicians holding down the floodgates against a public display of support for the state of Palestine were embarrassed in recent weeks. As soon as these political gatekeepers allowed their rank and file to express their positions, tremendous backing came for Palestine and its people. This happened in the British House of Commons, where an overwhelming number of MPs voted for Palestine, followed by Spain and, this week, by France.

GOP Chairman: We Should Legislate That Not One Person Is Thrown Out or Deported
During a House Rules Committee hearing on legislation to curb some of the reach in President Obama’s executive action on immigration, Chairman Pete Sessions (R-Tex.) said he was working with House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) to push a bill to ensure that not one illegal is removed from the United States “unless they were dangerous to this country and committed a crime.”

Labor Force Participation Remains at 36-Year Low
The labor force participation rate remained at a 36-year low of 62.8 percent in November, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The participation rate, which is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutional population who participated in the labor force by either having a job during the month or actively seeking one, was 62.8 percent in November which matches the percentage since March 1978.

Report: Obama Eyes Sanctions on Israel While Giving Iran a Pass
Senior White House and State Department officials have recently met to discuss the possibility of imposing sanctions on Israel in an effort to stop housing construction projects in eastern Jerusalem. The report – which comes as the Obama administration is lobbying furiously against new sanctions on Iran over its illicit nuclear program — is likely to trigger new bipartisan concern on Capitol Hill over the direction of U.S. Mideast policy.

Congress Demands Obama Explain Rumored Sanctions Against Israel
Members of Congress are demanding that President Obama come clean about controversial reports that he is considering leveling sanctions on Israel, according to a letter sent Friday afternoon by lawmakers to the White House.

U.S.-led forces conduct 20 air strikes against Islamic State
The United States and partner nations have conducted 20 air strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria and Iraq since Wednesday, the U.S. Central Command said on Friday. Five of six air strikes by U.S. military forces in Syria targeted the contested city of Kobani near the border with Turkey, Centcom said in a statement. Those destroyed six Islamic State fighting positions and a heavy weapon, it said.

US absence in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process is prompting Arabs and Europeans to jump in. But are prospects for them any better than they were
US absence in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process is prompting Arabs and Europeans to jump in. But are prospects for them any better than they were for the United States?With the United States sitting on the sidelines, Arab and European countries alarmed at a steady uptick in tensions between Israelis and Palestinians are pushing ahead with efforts to get the two sides talking again and moving toward resolution of their long conflict.

This Isn’t Education, It’s Indoctrination’: Notre Dame Offers Seminar On White Privilege
“This six-week preparatory class is designed to educate and train White Privilege Conference delegation participants on the definitions of, historical/current paradigm of, and causes/effects of white privilege.” (RELATED: White Privilege Conference: Being White Is Like Being An Alcoholic)

A White House Connection in the IRS Scandal?
It has recently come to light that the Obama Administration’s Treasury Department is in possession of over 2,500 pages of documents that may show that the IRS and the White House were colluding to illegally obtain confidential taxpayer information and that the White House used that information in an attempt to harm its political enemies.

M6-CLASS SOLAR FLARE (UPDATED)
The explosion did not hurl a CME into space, so Earth-effects of the blast were limited to a brief HF radio blackout around the western hemisphere. NOAA forecasters estimate a 40% chance of additional M-flares during the next 24 hours.

Man who filmed choking of Eric Garner indicted
On the same day one grand jury decided not to indict officer Daniel Pantaleo in the death of Eric Garner, an unarmed black man who was killed after being put in a chokehold last July, a different jury did indict 22-year-old Ramsey Orta, the man who captured Garner’s death on camera.

Denver student protesters cheered when car struck officer, union official says
The Denver Police Protective Association has learned that immediately after the horrible accident yesterday injuring four Denver Police Officers, several parties in the protesting group cheered and chanted “hit him again.” These actions are not only reprehensible but quite possibly the most disturbing thing this Association has ever heard,” a statement released by the police officers’ union Thursday night said.

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Leave Or Let Live? Arabs Move In To Jewish Settlements
JERUSALEM - Little noticed amid the furor over one of Israel's most contentious policies, a small but growing number of Arabs are moving into Jewish settlements on occupied land in East Jerusalem, drawn by cheaper rent and better services.

6.8 quake near Bougainville
A 6.8 magnitude earthquake has struck off the coast of Bougainville to the north of the Solomon Islands at approximately midday on Sunday, Solomon Islands time.

One dead, 22 injured in SW China earthquake
A nine-year-old boy was killed and another 22 injured in the 5.9-magnitude earthquake that struck southwest China's Yunnan Province on Saturday evening, local authorities said Sunday, citing latest statistics. The tremor, with a depth of 10 kilometers, was felt strongly at 6:20 p.m. in Jinggu County, Pu'er City. About 16 hours before, a 5.8-magnitude quake jolted the county.

St Lucia Shaken By Earthquake
The island of St Lucia was shaken by a 5.0-magnitude earthquake on Sunday, according to the USGS. The quake, which struck at a depth of 36 kilometers, was around 61 km east of the town of Micoud and around 108 kilometers southeast of Le Francois in Martinique.

Strong 6.0-Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Costa Rica and Panama
A strong 6.0-magnitude earthquake shook Costa Rica and Panama on Saturday morning, according to the United States Geological Survey.

Syria says Israeli airstrikes hit near Damascus
Israeli warplanes carried out two airstrikes Sunday near Damascus, one near the city's international airport and a second outside a town close to the Lebanese border, Syria's state news agency said. SANA called the attack "an aggression against Syria" and said there were no reports of casualties. The Israeli military said it does not comment on "foreign reports."

Merkel condemns Russia 'interfering' in Eastern Europe
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has accused Russia of interfering in the affairs of Eastern European countries seeking closer ties with the EU. In an interview in Die Welt am Sonntag newspaper (in German), Mrs Merkel said Russia was "creating problems" for Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine. Russia's violation of "the territorial integrity... of Ukraine must not be allowed to stand", she added.

Pope Francis: "God has bestowed on me a healthy dose of unawareness"
ROME.- "God is good to me, he has bestowed on me a healthy dose of unawareness. I just do what I have to do. From the start I said to myself, 'Jorge, don´t change, just keep on being yourself, because to change at your age would be to make a fool of yourself'". These are some of the things Pope Francis said, as spontaneous as ever, during the exclusive interview with the argentine newspaper LA NACION almost 21 months after he was elected Pope.

Mary Landrieu swept away by red tide as GOP picks up 9th seat
Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu lost her Senate runoff race Saturday night, felled by the red tide that's swept the South and ties to an unpopular President that she couldn't shake.

Typhoon Hagupit sweeps across Philippines
Typhoon Hagupit is sweeping across the eastern Philippines, toppling trees and power lines and threatening coastal areas with a powerful sea-surge. More than half a million people have fled coastal villages in the area, which was still recovering from Typhoon Haiyan last year.

China slams Philippines over South China Sea case
China on Sunday again rejected an attempt by the Philippines to challenge its vast territorial claims over the South China Sea through international arbitration, a week before a deadline for Beijing to respond to the case.

Islamic State group support grows in Jordan town
Local authorities quickly stripped away public signs of support for the Islamic State group in this desert town. Black flags have been removed from rooftops. Graffiti proclaiming the extremists' imminent victory have been whitewashed.

Oil News: Massive Energy Bond Defaults Are the Next Big Worry
Investors aren't just selling off oil stocks these days. The junk bonds, or noninvestment-rated bonds, of energy companies are also beginning to see heavy selling as investors start to worry that drillers could one day default on these bonds. Those defaults could get so bad, according to one analyst, that up to 40% of all energy junk bonds go into default over the next few years if oil prices don't recover.

Putin pushes back: Beware the wounded Russian bear
Contrary to what he would like us to believe, things are going very poorly for Vladimir Putin these days. Having found the West more united than he expected on the issue of sanctions against Russia, he now discovers that the bottom has fallen out of the international oil market. As if that were not enough, he also finds Europe nixing his pet Southstream gas pipeline, supposed to run under the Black Sea, which he had hoped would increase Russia’s energy stranglehold over Ukraine and the rest of Europe.

Israeli Nukes Meets Atomic Irony in the Middle East
The stated rationale for the United States casting on Tuesday one of the very lonely votes it sometimes casts at the United Nations General Assembly, on matters on which almost the entire world sees things differently, warrants some reflection.

6.0-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes off Indonesian Coast
A 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck off Indonesian coast of Yamdena Island, the US Geological Survey reports. The quakes took place at around 10 p.m. GMT, with the epicenter 222 km (138 miles) to the northwest of Saumlaki town, located on Yamdena island. The quake happened at a depth of 117.3 km (72.9 miles).

Panama Earthquake 2014 Today: Terremoto Strikes Off Coast
USGS indicates to news that a 5.8 magnitude Panama earthquake today December 6, 2014 began moments ago, just after 12:21 pm local time. The quake was shallow. Reps tell news that it started only twenty-two miles below sea level. As a result the quake could be felt on land.

EPA’s New Power Grab Includes Rain Water, says AMAC
‘The agency seeks to expand the definition of the waterways it regulates to include puddles’

Obama nominates Ashton Carter for Pentagon chief
President Barack Obama on Friday nominated veteran defense expert Ashton Carter as his defense secretary, a job that will require him to tackle messy wars in the Middle East and Afghanistan and try to fend off potentially damaging budget cuts. In Carter, Obama chose a policy expert who has worked for 11 defense secretaries.

Iran reportedly confirms air strikes in Iraq against Islamic State
A senior Iranian official has confirmed his country carried out air strikes in neighbouring Iraq against Islamic State fighters at the request of Iraqi authorities, Britain's Guardian newspaper reported. ...The purpose of the strikes was "the defense of the interests of our friends in Iraq", the newspaper quoted Rahimpour as saying in an interview in London.

Study: California Drought Worst in 1200 Years
This week's statewide rains have made little impact in relieving California's extreme drought. In fact, according to a new scientific study, this drought is the worst that California has experienced in 1200 years. Researchers studying tree rings concluded that "the current event is the most severe drought in the last 1200 years, with single year (2014) and accumulated moisture deficits worse than any previous continuous span of dry years."

Philippines Typhoon Hagupit evacuation stepped up
About half a million people have fled coastal villages and evacuated their homes in the Philippines as a powerful storm approaches the archipelago. Typhoon Hagupit, which weakened slightly on Friday night, is due to make landfall on Saturday evening. It is on course for the Eastern and Northern Samar provinces and the city of Tacloban, where thousands were killed by Typhoon Haiyan a year ago.

UK to establish £15m permanent Mid East military base
Britain is to establish its first permanent military base in the Middle East since it formally withdrew from the region in 1971. The base, at the Mina Salman Port in Bahrain, will host ships including destroyers and aircraft carriers. The UK said it was an "expansion of the Royal Navy's footprint" and would "reinforce stability" in the Gulf.

Haiti capital hit by anti-government clashes
Thousands of anti-government protesters have clashed with police in Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince. They burned tyres and threw stones at officers who responded with tear gas. The protesters want President Michel Martelly and Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe to resign and long-overdue elections to be held.

Herzog: I will be the next prime minister
Opposition leader Isaac Herzog said Friday night that he believes he will be Israel's next prime minister. "I will form the next coalition and lead Israel in a new direction," said Herzog,...Speaking about the recent spate of terror attacks...he said Israel must strive to understand the lack of hope in Palestinian society that is the impetus for such attacks.

Luke Somers, American Hostage Killed in Yemen, Had ‘Wanderlust’
Luke Somers, an American who was killed during a rescue attempt against his al-Qaida captors in Yemen, had been working as a freelance photographer and editor in that country, and those who knew him say he had “wanderlust” and was drawn to new experiences.

Near Earth Asteroids
(Scroll down a bit) On December 6, 2014 there were 1522 potentially hazardous asteroids.

Five injured in southwest China earthquake
Five people were injured after a 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck southwest China's Yunnan Province early Saturday morning, local authorities confirmed.

Saudis Fire Again in Oil War Against U.S. Shale
Saudi Arabia launched a third-wave attack this week in its oil price war with the U.S. shale oil producer. First they cut prices, then they refused to cut production, and now they cut prices again.

A Resounding Public Support for Palestine Around the World
Politicians holding down the floodgates against a public display of support for the state of Palestine were embarrassed in recent weeks. As soon as these political gatekeepers allowed their rank and file to express their positions, tremendous backing came for Palestine and its people. This happened in the British House of Commons, where an overwhelming number of MPs voted for Palestine, followed by Spain and, this week, by France.

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Obama renews NSA snooping for 90 more days
President Obama has renewed the NSA’s phone-snooping program for another three months, with the administration saying Monday that it’s too important to let it expire right now, defying members of Congress who said it was time to ax the controversial program. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. and National Intelligence Director James R. Clapper said Monday they’ve won a 90-day extension of the snooping authority from the secret court that oversees intelligence activities.

China Takes Nuclear Weapons Underwater Where Prying Eyes Can’t See
China is preparing to arm its stealthiest submarines with nuclear missiles that could reach the U.S., cloaking its arsenal with the invisibility needed to retaliate in the event of an enemy strike.

Iranian Officials Vow to Get Nukes, Target Israel, US Forces
During the past month, senior Iranian officials have been speaking openly about the possibility of launching military strikes against Israel and U.S. forces in the Middle East and of dragging out nuclear talks with the international community in order to obtain atomic weapons.

Sharyl Attkisson: Obama Officials' Profanity Is Nothing New
Emmy Award-winning journalist and former CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson says she's been the victim of profanity-laced tirades by Obama administration officials. Attkisson was asked about the revelation by recently-retired ABC News White House correspondent Ann Compton that President Barack went on a profane, off-the-record outburst over scandals he believed the press was overblowing.

If thine eye offend thee…
In the book of Matthew (18:9), it states, “If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter life with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hellfire.” It seems to me that many Americans have plucked out both their eyes and cast them away, given that many seem unable to see the precipitous cliff for which we are heading.

Syria calls for U.N. sanctions on Israel over air strikes
UNITED NATION - Syria asked the United Nations Security Council on Monday to impose sanctions on neighboring Israel, a day after accusing the Jewish state of bombing areas near Damascus international airport and in the town of Dimas, near the border with Lebanon.

US, UK join major nuclear weapons conference
Vienna - The United States and Britain on Monday for the first time attended a global conference discussing the risks posed by nuclear weapons, reversing their snubbing of previous rounds.

Syria, Iran accuse Israel of air strike; arms for Hezbollah are likely target
Israel did not confirm the strikes, reportedly near the Damascus airport and Lebanon's border, but analysts noted Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke earlier of dealing with regional threats.Israeli warplanes bombed two areas near Damascus on Sunday, the Syrian military said, drawing harsh criticism from the Syrian and Iranian foreign ministers.


Ouija Boards Become A Christmas ‘Must Buy’: Church Warns ‘Don’t Let This Darkness Into Your Lives’
It would appear that Ouija boards are fast becoming one of the “coolest” and “must-have” Christmas gifts of 2014, but the church has fiercely criticized the trend calling it “absolutely appalling,” and strongly warned people to “not let this darkness” into their lives. former exorcist Anthony Hayne was only too aware of the dangers of teenagers who “had been using Ouija boards and had let the darkness into their lives”.

Pope Francis Addresses Gay Marriage: Church Should Support Families With LGBT Children
The Catholic Church must help parents stand by their gay children, said Pope Francis in a new interview about his papal ministry. The pontiff’s comments come a day after Francis urged top church officials to pay attention to the “signs of the times”...

Holuhraun Biggest Lava Flow in Centuries
If the Holuhraun volcanic eruption continues as it has done, then both the sinking of Bárðarbunga and the eruption itself can be expected to continue for at least several more months.

The pope’s door is always open to ISIS. Why America’s should be, too.
Many questioned whether the Pope had taken leave of his senses.

US advises security review at overseas posts ahead of CIA report's release
The message directs all overseas posts, including those used by CIA personnel, to "review their security posture" for a "range of reactions that might occur." A similar statement is being sent to military combatant commands to assess their readiness.

Leftists using Ferguson to wage race war?
The recent murder of immigrant Zemir Begic in a brutal hammer attack shocked the Bosnian community in south St. Louis and people across the nation. St. Louis City Police Chief Samuel Dotson and St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay rushed to deny race had anything to do with it, calling it merely a carjacking. Ferguson Mayor James Knowles say there is something far more insidious going on in St. Louis and that the people of St. Louis are being used for a much more sinister aim.

War Clouds
The world is changing and becoming even more dangerous -- in a way we've seen before. In the decade before World War I, the near-hundred-year European peace that had followed the fall of Napoleon was taken for granted. Yet it abruptly imploded in 1914. Prior little wars in the Balkans had seemed to predict a much larger one on the horizon -- and were ignored. A large war is looming, one that will be far more costly than the preventative vigilance that might have stopped it.

Rising dollar major threat to global economy - study
The durability of the dollar isn’t a given, and pressure in the $12.3 trillion US Treasury market is causing alarm. A study by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) suggests dollar dominance could spell disaster for emerging markets.

Eric Garner protests turn violent in California
a march in California turned violent when a splinter group smashed windows and threw objects at police. A Berkeley police officer received hospital treatment for a dislocated shoulder after being hit with a sandbag, while another sustained minor injuries, police spokeswoman Jenn Coats said.

Russia wants Israeli explanation for 'aggressive actions' in Syria
The Kremlin is seeking clarifications from Israel regarding the air strikes that hit Syria on Sunday reportedly destroying Russian-made arms bound for Hezbollah, the DPA news agency is reporting on Monday.

Poll Calls to Replace PM Netanyahu in Coming Elections
A poll conducted by Channel 2 News by Prof. Mina Tzemach and Mano Geva released over the weekend shows that 65% of Israeli voters want to see Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu replaced as prime minister. 30% want to see him continue as the nation’s leader.

Putin’s New Deal Spells End to 15 Years of Wage Gains
Instead of the rising living standards he’s delivered the past 15 years in exchange for the public’s acquiescence, the Russian president now holds out declining wages and more austere lifestyles as the price of swollen national pride.

GEOMAGNETIC UNREST
A stream of fast-moving solar wind is buffeting Earth's magnetic field, and this is causing G1-class geomagnetic storms around the poles.

California’s ‘Hot Drought’ Ranks Worst in at Least 1,200 Years
Record rains fell in California this week. They’re not enough to change the course of what scientists are now calling the region’s worst drought in at least 1,200 years. Just how bad has California’s drought been? Modern measurements already showed it’s been drier than the 1930s dustbowl, worse than the historic droughts of the 1970s and 1980s. That's not all.

Suspected Israeli war jets strike near Damascus airport
Suspected Israeli aircraft bombed a military complex on the outskirts of Damascus’ international airport Sunday in what Syrian state television said was an attack on warehouses housing an advance Russian-made anti-aircraft system. The attack would be consistent with repeated Israeli pledges that it would not allow Syria to deploy the S-300 anti-aircraft missile system...

Syrian Jewish bibles at core of ownership dispute
Two decades after Israeli spies helped whisk ancient Hebrew bibles from Damascus to Jerusalem, Israel's national library has asked an Israeli court to grant it official custodianship over the manuscripts. The move could spark a bitter ownership battle over some of the Syrian Jewish community's most important treasures.

China develops new rocket for manned moon mission
China is developing a huge rocket that will be used for its first manned mission to the moon, state media said Monday, underscoring Beijing's increasingly ambitious space programme. The first launch of the Long March-9 will take place around 2028, said the China Daily, which also cited experts saying the rocket's development is at the research stage.

EU's Mogherini to press Turkey over IS militants
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini is in Turkey to urge it to participate fully in the fight against Islamic State militants in Syria. Ms Mogherini and other top EU officials will urge Turkey to stop the flow of foreign fighters across its borders. In a tweet from the capital Ankara, she said her agenda also included Turkey's EU accession bid.

Australian banks need more capital to avert crises, Murray report says
Australian banks need to hold more capital to be able to survive future financial crises, says a new report. There should also be minimum education standards for financial advisers, it said. The report, released on Sunday, also recommended superannuation (pension fund) fees be reduced.

EU earns 'fail' grade over bank capital regime
New EU laws do not meet new global standards and would not be enough to ensure that the bloc's banks could survive a future financial crisis, according to a new report by the leading global bank regulator. The rebuke is contained in a report published on Friday (5 December) by the Basel committee at the Swiss-based Bank for International Settlements, the body tasked with formulating the rules that govern the world's lenders.

Top Putin aide: Mossad training ISIS terrorists in Iraq, Syria
A top aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday accused Israel and the United States of training the Islamic State in order to undermine Moscow’s interests in the Middle East. In an interview with Iranian state television, Alexander Prokhanov said that Mossad agents were training ISIS fighters in Syria and Iraq.

Hezbollah drones, anti-aircraft missiles destroyed in alleged IAF attack, says Syrian opposition
Syrian opposition sources told Arab media on Monday that the airstrikes near Damascus that were alleged to have been carried out by Israeli warplanes destroyed a storage facility housing anti-aircraft missiles as well as drones belonging to Hezbollah.

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Civilian oversight approved for Los Angeles Sheriff's Department
LOS ANGELES - A plan to create a civilian oversight panel for the troubled Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department was approved on Tuesday, as county leaders moved to avert problems of the kind that triggered unrest in Ferguson, Missouri.

No terror link seen in NYC Jewish center stabbing
NEW YORK — A man with a history of mental illness slipped into the headquarters of a major Jewish organization in Brooklyn in the middle of the night Tuesday and stabbed an Israeli student in the head as he was studying in the library.

One killed in Bahrain blast, second bomb in two days
MANAMA - A bomb explosion killed a Bahraini citizen and wounded an expatriate man on Tuesday, the Interior Ministry said, the second fatal attack in the Gulf Arab state in as many days.

Congress will block marijuana legalization in Washington, DC
Congress's massive appropriations bill will likely block a voter-approved marijuana legalization initiative in Washington, DC. The bill "prohibits both federal and local funds from being used to implement a referendum legalizing recreational marijuana use in the District," according to a summary from the House Appropriations Committee. DC's legalization initiative obtained more than 69 percent of the vote in November. But ballot initiatives, like all DC laws, must get congressional approval to become law, and they can be blocked through congressional budgetary requirements.

UN diplomats: Report says Iran buying for reactor
UNITED NATIONS — Iran is being accused of illicitly stepping up purchases for its heavy water reactor, which if completed will produce enough plutonium for several nuclear weapons a year, U.N. diplomats said Tuesday.

America needs a Patriotic President
What America needs most is a Patriotic President, a president who puts love of country well above love of self. America needs a president who, even before coming forward, has already shoved his ego into his back pocket; one wise enough to ignore the pandering of the moment and one whose head is never turned by Mae West type publicity.

Police in Small Wisconsin City Want Residents to Volunteer to Have Their Homes Searched for Guns
Police in Beloit, Wisconsin, want residents to volunteer to let officers search their homes for firearms as part of a new initiative that officials believe will help reduce gun violence.

Meet the Pope’s Astronomer, Who Says He’d Baptize an Alien if Given the Chance
..the two Jesuits are really aiming their lens at a bigger goal: to show how people of faith can also believe in science. "God is reason. If you reject reason, you are rejecting God,". "The thing that really bothers me," he said, "is the creeping fundamentalism among Catholics...

Planned Parenthood Is Operating a Pedophile Protection Racket, Says Pro-Life Group in Investigative Report
Over 60 court cases reveal that girls as young as 10 were taken to Planned Parenthood facilities and other clinics for abortions and birth control by their sexual abusers, but because staff failed to report the crimes, the girls were subjected to years of ongoing sexual abuse.

ISIS Trains 10 Year Olds to Use Assault Rifles to Kill, Sends Them to Iraq and Syria Battles
Terror group ISIS has reportedly released a series of photographs on social media showing children around 10 years of age in soldier uniforms being trained to use assault rifles and kill people. The jihadist group has been using child soldiers in its battle for territories in Iraq and Syria.

Philippine rescuers struggle to reach villages after typhoon 'folded homes like paper'
Philippine emergency workers were struggling on Tuesday to reach coastal villages on an island hardest hit by a typhoon where thousands of homes have been wrecked by powerful winds and a storm surge rising three to four meters (10 to 13 feet).

Endless Immigration into America: Cultural Chaos of Divergent World Views
When they land in the United States, the vast majority lacks any understanding of first world dynamics. They carry scant education in English or usable first world skills. They carry with them the origins and seeds of failure from their own countries. They carry deeply held religious and cultural rituals. How do you stop that kind of irresponsible fecundity and lack of personal accountability? Answer: you don’t. It simply grows until our system collapses.

OF MESSIAHS FALSE AND TRUE
From Jesus to Obama, why we gravitate toward real – or fake – saviors. “We thought that he was going to be – I shouldn’t say this at Christmastime – but the next messiah,” veteran broadcast journalist Barbara Walters told CNN. Newsweek editor Evan Thomas told MSNBC.

St. Louis police allege hate crime in latest attack on Bosnian resident
"You're Bosnian," one of the suspects allegedly said. "I should just kill you now."

Germans take to the streets to protest against 'Islamisation'
A new type of anti-immigration protest is sweeping across Germany, as thousands take to the streets against what they say is the growing “Islamisation” of the country.

Walgreens pulls 'swastika' wrapping paper off shelves
US retailer Walgreens announced Monday that it is removing all rolls of a wrapping paper from its shelves nationwide after a woman from the Northridge community of Los Angeles complained Sunday that there are swastikas in the design.

Islamic State Claims ‘Radioactive Device’ Now in Europe
An alleged weapons maker for the Islamic State (IS) claimed that a “radioactive device” has been smuggled into an undisclosed location in Europe, according to an intelligence brief released Monday by the SITE Intelligence Group.

Shallow undersea quake strikes off eastern Indonesia
A magnitude 5.7 earthquake jolted North Sulawesi in eastern Indonesia on Tuesday, the Indonesian Agency for Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysics said here. The quake struck at 10:09 a.m. Jakarta time (0309 GMT).

Obama renews NSA snooping for 90 more days
President Obama has renewed the NSA’s phone-snooping program for another three months, with the administration saying Monday that it’s too important to let it expire right now, defying members of Congress who said it was time to ax the controversial program. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. and National Intelligence Director James R. Clapper said Monday they’ve won a 90-day extension of the snooping authority from the secret court that oversees intelligence activities.

China Takes Nuclear Weapons Underwater Where Prying Eyes Can’t See
China is preparing to arm its stealthiest submarines with nuclear missiles that could reach the U.S., cloaking its arsenal with the invisibility needed to retaliate in the event of an enemy strike.

Iranian Officials Vow to Get Nukes, Target Israel, US Forces
During the past month, senior Iranian officials have been speaking openly about the possibility of launching military strikes against Israel and U.S. forces in the Middle East and of dragging out nuclear talks with the international community in order to obtain atomic weapons.

Sharyl Attkisson: Obama Officials' Profanity Is Nothing New
Emmy Award-winning journalist and former CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson says she's been the victim of profanity-laced tirades by Obama administration officials. Attkisson was asked about the revelation by recently-retired ABC News White House correspondent Ann Compton that President Barack went on a profane, off-the-record outburst over scandals he believed the press was overblowing.

If thine eye offend thee…
In the book of Matthew (18:9), it states, “If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter life with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hellfire.” It seems to me that many Americans have plucked out both their eyes and cast them away, given that many seem unable to see the precipitous cliff for which we are heading.

Syria calls for U.N. sanctions on Israel over air strikes
UNITED NATION - Syria asked the United Nations Security Council on Monday to impose sanctions on neighboring Israel, a day after accusing the Jewish state of bombing areas near Damascus international airport and in the town of Dimas, near the border with Lebanon.

US, UK join major nuclear weapons conference
Vienna - The United States and Britain on Monday for the first time attended a global conference discussing the risks posed by nuclear weapons, reversing their snubbing of previous rounds.

Syria, Iran accuse Israel of air strike; arms for Hezbollah are likely target
Israel did not confirm the strikes, reportedly near the Damascus airport and Lebanon's border, but analysts noted Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke earlier of dealing with regional threats.Israeli warplanes bombed two areas near Damascus on Sunday, the Syrian military said, drawing harsh criticism from the Syrian and Iranian foreign ministers.

Ouija Boards Become A Christmas ‘Must Buy’: Church Warns ‘Don’t Let This Darkness Into Your Lives’
It would appear that Ouija boards are fast becoming one of the “coolest” and “must-have” Christmas gifts of 2014, but the church has fiercely criticized the trend calling it “absolutely appalling,” and strongly warned people to “not let this darkness” into their lives. former exorcist Anthony Hayne was only too aware of the dangers of teenagers who “had been using Ouija boards and had let the darkness into their lives”.

Pope Francis Addresses Gay Marriage: Church Should Support Families With LGBT Children
The Catholic Church must help parents stand by their gay children, said Pope Francis in a new interview about his papal ministry. The pontiff’s comments come a day after Francis urged top church officials to pay attention to the “signs of the times”...

Holuhraun Biggest Lava Flow in Centuries
If the Holuhraun volcanic eruption continues as it has done, then both the sinking of Bárðarbunga and the eruption itself can be expected to continue for at least several more months.

The pope’s door is always open to ISIS. Why America’s should be, too.
Many questioned whether the Pope had taken leave of his senses.

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An OPEC Minister Made A Surprising Statement About Who Controls Oil Prices
Saudi Arabian Minister of Petroleum Ali Al-Naimi made a surprising statement at a UN climate-change meeting in Lima, Peru. "Why should I cut production? You know what a market does for any commodity. It goes up and down and up and down,” Al-Naimi said, according to Bloomberg.

Obama quotes nonexistent Bible verse in immigration speech
While there are plenty of Bible verses to mention while discussing immigration, President Obama on Tuesday quoted one which isn't so great, mainly because it's not real. "The good book says don't throw stones at glass houses, or make sure we're looking at the log in our eye before we are pointing out the moat in other folks eyes," Obama said during a speech in Nashville. One problem, though: The Bible never mentions glass houses.

Israel minister says US censure slows settlements
JERUSALEM — U.S. criticism of Israel's settlement policies has slowed down construction in the West Bank, Israel's defense minister said in comments broadcast Wednesday, adding that he hopes the slowdown will be "temporary" because the Obama administration "won't be around forever."

Irish parliament backs recognition of Palestinian state
Dublin - Irish lawmakers urged their government Wednesday to recognise Palestine as a state in a symbolic motion that sailed through parliament unopposed. Ireland's parliament is the fourth European assembly to call for the recognition of Palestinian statehood since October.

Kerry, Israel's Netanyahu to meet in Rome for Middle East talks
WASHINGTON - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to Rome on Sunday for talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on developments in Israel and the West Bank, the State Department said on Wednesday.

45-year physics mystery shows a path to quantum transistors
An odd, iridescent material that's puzzled physicists for decades turns out to be an exotic state of matter that could open a new path to quantum computers and other next-generation electronics.

Magnitude 6.1 quake hits off Taiwan
A strong, 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck northeast off the island of Taiwan on Thursday, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It said the quake struck at 5:03 a.m. on Thursday...


Greenland Low Pressure 'Bomb' Brings Extreme Winds to Iceland; Huge Waves Building on Seas Near U.K.
People across northern Europe are bracing for the impact of a large and powerful low-pressure system that developed over the North Atlantic Ocean near Greenland Monday. The storm, named "Alexandra" in Europe, has already brought wind gusts up to 96 mph in Iceland, causing power outages and travel disruption there. Waves higher than 30 feet have already been reported over the open Atlantic.

Shi'ite pilgrims flock to Iraq holy city, government fears attack
From across Iraq and neighboring states, millions of Shi'ite pilgrims are heading this week to the city of Kerbala for a religious ceremony that authorities say radical Sunni fighters are targeting for attack.

How Does It Feel To Be Number Two?
Although this might all seem orchestrated, (and believe me, it is!) we must not forget the ideological changes our Number Two status could represent

Ben Stein: Media Are 'So Far Up Mr. Obama's Backside'
Former Nixon speechwriter Ben Stein opined on Fox News’ “Your World w/ Cavuto” that the reason the media isn’t complaining about being lied to about what was in the Affordable Care Act is because they are “so far up Mr. Obama’s backside.”

Pope Francis: ‘All Animals Go To Heaven’
Pope Francis has declared that all animals go to heaven during his weekly audience in St. Peter’s Square.

Russian Media Warns Of World War 3 Over U.S. Resolution 758, Canada Offers Military Aid To Ukraine
Russian media is already warning that the recently passed House Resolution 758 could lead to “all-out” war if the U.S. Senate were to pass similar legislation. While President Barack Obama has yet to offer lethal aid and weapons to Ukraine, Canada has already announced they will provide military assistance outside the constraints of NATO.

Teen girl doused, burned alive in Mississippi
A grisly killing in a small town in Mississippi has local residents on edge and looking for answers. A blond-haired teenager with no known enemies was found walking down a rural road on fire Saturday night. She had been beaten, doused with lighter-fluid and set ablaze.

NY Stabbing Testimony: 'I'm Killing a Jew!'
He added that the difficult times of terror attacks and international pressure have created a dark time, but he noted this period is prophesied in Jewish texts as coming before the final redemption, stressing the need to think positively.

Pakistani Opinion: Israel is the Next Superpower
A surprising op-ed in a large Pakistani paper sees Israel benefiting big-time from current chaos, rebuilding Temple. explained Noor. “The very words to focus on are ‘the time to build…has come.’”

QUIET WITH A CHANCE OF FLARES
Solar activity has been low for days. The sunspot most likely to break the quiet is AR2230. Not only is the sunspot growing rapidly, but also it has an unstable 'beta-gamma' magnetic field that harbors energy for M-class solar flares.

Planned giant Eye of Sauron installation in Moscow condemned by Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church has warned of dire consequences for Moscow if plans proceed for a skyscraper light installation modeled on the all-seeing evil eye at the centre of JRR Tolkien’s fantasy novels. “This is a demonic symbol,” the Russian Orthodox Church’s head of public affairs, Vsevolod Chaplin, told Govorit Moskva radio station.

Gruber in 1997: Aborting Poor Children Improves American Life
Tuesday morning, as Dr. Jonathan Gruber was testifying before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY)Heritage ActionScorecardRep. Thomas Massie revealed some surprising words previously written by President Obama’s trusted economic advisor. Gruber wrote: "From these results, we estimate that the legalization of abortion saved the government over $14 billion in welfare payments through 1994." In other words, murdering unborn poor children is good for the American economy.

New Zealand approves new anti-terror laws
New Zealand's parliament has approved new anti-terrorism laws aimed at countering the domestic threat posed by overseas extremist groups. The bill passed late on Tuesday by 94 votes to 27. It permits video surveillance for 24 hours without a warrant and the cancellation of passports for up to three years for those suspected of involvement in terrorism.

Weather bomb' storm brings disruption to northern UK
Thousands of Scottish homes are without power as a "weather bomb" storm hits western coastal areas. Electricity has been cut across the Western Isles, affecting 17,000 homes, and there is other disruption including train and ferry cancellations. The Met Office has warned parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland to "be prepared" as the rapidly developing storm threatens gusts of up to 80mph.

Report: Palestinian Authority minister dies after clashes with IDF in West Bank
A Palestinian Authority minister died shortly after being hit and shoved by IDF soldiers during a protest on Wednesday in the West Bank, a Reuters photographer who witnessed the incident and a medic said. Ziad Abu Ein, a PA minister without portfolio, was rushed by ambulance from the scene, in the village of Turmusiya, but died en route to the nearby city of Ramallah.

Bank of America sees $50 oil as Opec dies
"Our biggest worry is the end of the liquidity cycle. The Fed is done. The reach for yield that we have seen since 2009 is going into reverse”, said Bank of America. The Opec oil cartel no longer exists in any meaningful sense and crude prices will slump to $50 a barrel over coming months as market forces shake out the weakest producers, Bank of America has warned. Revolutionary changes sweeping the world’s energy industry will drive down the price of liquefied natural gas (LNG), creating a “multi-year” glut and a mucher cheaper source of gas for Europe.

Gulf Arab states close ranks with navy, police
DOHA, Qatar — The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council, which is concerned about Shiite Iran's regional influence and the rise of Sunni extremist groups, agreed on Tuesday to create a joint naval force based out of Bahrain and announced a police force based out of the United Arab Emirates' capital of Abu Dhabi.

Kerry Says the Fight Against the Islamic State Could Expand Beyond Iraq and Syria
Secretary of State John Kerry says the fight against the Islamic State should not have any limitations on geography or ground combat.

Civilian oversight approved for Los Angeles Sheriff's Department
LOS ANGELES - A plan to create a civilian oversight panel for the troubled Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department was approved on Tuesday, as county leaders moved to avert problems of the kind that triggered unrest in Ferguson, Missouri.

No terror link seen in NYC Jewish center stabbing
NEW YORK — A man with a history of mental illness slipped into the headquarters of a major Jewish organization in Brooklyn in the middle of the night Tuesday and stabbed an Israeli student in the head as he was studying in the library.

One killed in Bahrain blast, second bomb in two days
MANAMA - A bomb explosion killed a Bahraini citizen and wounded an expatriate man on Tuesday, the Interior Ministry said, the second fatal attack in the Gulf Arab state in as many days.

Congress will block marijuana legalization in Washington, DC
Congress's massive appropriations bill will likely block a voter-approved marijuana legalization initiative in Washington, DC. The bill "prohibits both federal and local funds from being used to implement a referendum legalizing recreational marijuana use in the District," according to a summary from the House Appropriations Committee. DC's legalization initiative obtained more than 69 percent of the vote in November. But ballot initiatives, like all DC laws, must get congressional approval to become law, and they can be blocked through congressional budgetary requirements.

UN diplomats: Report says Iran buying for reactor
UNITED NATIONS — Iran is being accused of illicitly stepping up purchases for its heavy water reactor, which if completed will produce enough plutonium for several nuclear weapons a year, U.N. diplomats said Tuesday.

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Obama Justice Department Was Involved In IRS Targeting, Lerner Emails Reveal
The documents prove that Lois Lerner met with DOJ’s Election Crimes Division a month before the 2010 elections. Ms. Lerner was talking to DOJ officials about prosecuting tax-exempt entities (yes, criminally!) two years before the IRS conceded there was inappropriate targeting.

Storm Fueled By 'Pineapple Express' Brings Hurricane-Force Winds to California, Oregon, Washington; Flood Threat Continues
A powerful storm fueled by a stream of tropical moisture called the "Pineapple Express" is battering not only drought-stricken California but the entire West Coast with damaging winds and enough rain to cause flooding and landslides. On top of that, the Sierra Nevada is in line for a bona fide blizzard likely to make travel there all but impossible.The National Weather Service in Monterey, California, said Monday that this storm is "expected to be one of the strongest storms in terms of wind and rain intensity" since storms in October 2009 and January 2008.On Thursday afternoon in Oregon, the Portland International Airport recorded a 62-mph wind gust, its highest wind gust in nearly 19 years.

Black Pro-Lifers: If “Black Lives Matter,” Why Don’t They Protest Abortion?
Each and every life matters – but, as the media cry “black lives matter,” they conveniently forget the millions of black babies destroyed in abortion. The phrase “Black Lives Matter” surfaced in the news and on social media after a grand jury’s decision not to indict police officer Darren Wilson for the murder of 18-year-old Michael Brown last month. The mantra continued after a viral video showed Eric Garner’s death after a confrontation with New York police. From the beginning, the media pushed the phrase – while, at the same time, ignored a Nov. 27 CDC report revealing 78 percent of the babies aborted in New York City in 2011 were black and Hispanic.

The Gaza Strip: What Can Israel Do to Postpone – or Even Prevent – the Next Round of Vio
This article examines three options for Israel regarding the reconstruction of Gaza. None of these options are optimal for Israel, as they do not guarantee a long term lull in hostilities – although two have the advantage of including a political initiative, which could extricate Israel from its international isolation and facilitate a breakthrough in the political deadlock.

How current events might play into America's shift in favor of gun rights
For the first time, a Pew survey found more support for gun ownership than gun control among Americans. Current events like the Michael Brown case may be accelerating the trend, a gun control advocate says.

U.S. 'troubled' that Crimean leader in India with Putin
NEW DELHI - The leader of Crimea, the former Ukrainian territory annexed by Russia, visited India on Thursday as a member of President Vladimir Putin's annual summit delegation, and the United States said it found the reports troubling.

Superbugs could kill 10mn per year by 2050, more than cancer – study
Superbugs with a high resistance to antibiotics could kill 10 million people worldwide each year by 2050 unless more action is taken, a study has warned. The figure is higher than the global impact of cancer, which currently kills 8.2 million.

If you would reap power, sow despair
You’ll notice that all those politicized “wars” on domestic issues are eternal – there are no victory conditions or exit strategies. Who feels a greater sense of despair than helpless civilians trapped in a series of endless wars? Statists reach through that gateway of helpless frustration to seize power and money.

Doctor-Prescribed Suicide May Become Reality in Georgia
Georgia Right to Life (GRTL) Director of Bioethics, Bethany Walker, said today she is deeply concerned about a push to adopt a doctor-prescribed suicide law in Georgia.

CIA torture report is a 'load of hooey', according to CIA’s torture adviser
“They had an agenda, the Senate Democrats have an agenda and it’s clear to any American that reads [it] that report is selectively produced in a way to produce outrage in the reader,”

Florida City's Commissioners Walk Out on Atheist Invocation
Members of the Lake Worth City Commissioners stepped out of their meeting last week when Miami atheist Preston Smith took to the stand to give an invocation.

Sheriff Joe scores victory against Obama's amnesty
A judge has sided with Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio in the first clash in what is expected to be a major court fight over the legality – or not – of Barack Obama’s looming amnesty program, ordering a fast track for case arguments and hearings.

All Senate GOP staff going on ObamaCare
Senate Republican staffers will be required to obtain health insurance through ObamaCare's exchanges under a rule passed Wednesday by the GOP Conference. The proposal from Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) means that Senate Republicans will designate their staff as "official," moving them automatically onto the marketplaces.

Another Earthquake Swarm Rattles Lakeview Area
Since mid-July, state and federal geologists have detected over 1700 earthquakes in the area where the Oregon, California, and Nevada borders meet.

Watchdog: Israel has chemical weapons, must disarm
Israel has chemical weapons and must reconsider its refusal to join the international treaty prohibiting the possession and use of such arms, a top official of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons told Israeli journalists this week.

Dozens arrested as Hong Kong police drive protesters from streets
China’s largest pro-democracy demonstrations in decades came to an end on Thursday, as hundreds of riot police poured into a once-bustling protest camp tearing down tents and arresting dozens. Police and bailiffs began entering the Admiralty protest site, on the edge of the former colony’s financial district, on Thursday morning, beginning a slow but steady push through the area.

Treasury Department Seeking Survival Kits For Bank Employees
The Department of Treasury is seeking to order survival kits for all of its employees who oversee the federal banking system, according to a new solicitation. The emergency supplies would be for every employee at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), which conducts on-site reviews of banks throughout the country. The survival kit includes everything from water purification tablets to solar blankets.

Rosetta results: Comets 'did not bring water to Earth'
Scientists have dealt a blow to the theory that most water on Earth came from comets. Results from Europe's Rosetta mission, which made history by landing on Comet 67P in November, shows the water on the icy mass is unlike that on our planet. The results are published in the journal Science.

Jihadist violence 'killed 5,000 in November'
More than 5,000 people worldwide died in November as a result of jihadist violence, a BBC study has revealed. The four worst-affected countries were Iraq, Nigeria, Afghanistan and Syria, accounting for 80% of all deaths. The investigation - co-ordinated with the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR) - recorded a total of 664 attacks in 14 countries.

Russia raises interest rates to 10.5%
Russia's central bank has raised its key interest rate by one percentage point to 10.5% as it steps up the fight to tackle inflation. It comes just six weeks after it raised the rate to 9.5% from 8%. The bank's official website added that it would continue raising the rate "in case of further aggravation of inflation risks".

Russian Baltic military actions 'unprecedented' - Poland
Poland says the level of Russian naval and air force activity in the Baltic Sea region has been "unprecedented" this week. Defence Minister Tomasz Siemoniak said most of the activity was in international waters and airspace and Sweden was the country most affected. Nato partners of the Baltic states, including the UK, have military jets on an air policing mission in the region, monitoring the Russian planes.

Ebola crisis: Sierra Leone bodies found piled up in Kono
Health officials in Sierra Leone have discovered scores of bodies in a remote diamond-mining area, raising fears that the scale of the Ebola outbreak may have been underreported. The World Health Organization said they uncovered a "grim scene" in the eastern district of Kono. A WHO response team had been sent to Kono to investigate a sharp rise in Ebola cases.

US Congress edges closer to $1tn spending deal
US congressional leaders have reached an agreement on a $1.1tn (£701.6bn) spending bill ahead of a looming Thursday evening deadline. The agreement funds most of the government until September 2015, preventing a government shutdown. But one US agency would only be funded for several weeks as Republicans seek to confront President Obama over immigration policy.

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Ukraine cheers US vote for military aid, Russia outraged
Ukraine on Friday welcomed a US bill that would allow Washington to provide lethal military assistance to the embattled country, but Russia expressed outrage at the "openly confrontational" legislation.

Oil plunges again, reaches recession-level depths
Another forecast of weak global demand, another nosedive for oil. A 6-month rout in the price of oil accelerated this week, culminating in a 4 percent drop Friday — its third such drop in 5 days — to its lowest level since May of 2009, when the U.S. was still in recession.

Update: 7 more states join lawsuit to stop Obama’s amnesty - total up to 24
Earlier this month we talked about a lawsuit filed by Texas Attorney General and Governor-elect Greg Abbott. The suit seeks to stop Obama’s amnesty actions before they’re implemented. At the time, 17 states had joined the suit.

I Don’t Believe in Atheists–Neither Does God!
Most people have always done what they knew to be wrong and refused to do what they knew to be right proving the whole world is guilty before God. Faith in Christ satisfies the inner craving in every human heart that mere religion cannot satisfy.

Enhanced Torture of Homeless Veterans
As we know, there’s been a flood of politicians and bureaucrats on TV, cable, radio, newspapers and Internet reporting that the CIA purportedly tortured a few terrorist enemy combatants, and the reporting has been pouring down with more inundation than a torrential monsoon. The incessant sympathy toward a few terrorist thugs whose sole mission is to destroy America and our citizenry is considered newsworthy because they were apparently subjected to a form of torment based on the CIA’s “Enhanced Interrogation Techniques.”

Falling Oil Prices Push Venezuela Deeper Into China's Orbit
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had a Plan B in the event the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries declined to back his country’s proposal to cut output to boost prices.

Putin the Great, and the collapse of the Russian economy
In certain corners of conservative thought, it's been fashionable to portray Russian President Vladimir Putin as a master strategist who has outdueled Barack Obama at every turn. “The big problems are economic growth and the standard of living, which will deteriorate.”

Tennessee attraction offers Zombie Santa and undead elves for charity
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A Nashville-area haunted house is getting into the Christmas spirit this weekend, with Zombie Santa, his undead elves and one demonic reindeer going on the attack for fun and charity. "Instead of Christmas cheer, we are spreading some holiday fear," said Carroll Moore, who is turning his Halloween season "Death Yard Haunted Attraction" in Hendersonville into a Yuletide horror show this Friday and Saturday.

Palestinian shot after acid attack on Israeli family
Jerusalem - A Palestinian threw acid at a family of Israelis picking up a hitchhiker in the West Bank Friday before being shot and wounded, residents and the army said. The incident came with tensions running high in the occupied territories after months of unrest, and follows the death of a senior Palestinian official this week in a confrontation with Israeli troops.

Native Americans allowed to sell, grow marijuana, DOJ says
Native American tribes are allowed to grow and sell marijuana on their lands as long as they follow the same laws laid out for states that have legalized the drug, the U.S. Justice Department said Thursday.

Time capsule found at Massachusetts Statehouse
Crews removed a time capsule dating back to 1795 on Thursday from the granite cornerstone of the Massachusetts Statehouse, where historians believe it was originally placed by Revolutionary War luminaries Samuel Adams and Paul Revere among others.

A Very Scary Situation
Whipping up racial resentments among blacks is causing some ugly whites reactions. what the media is missing is that as angry as the blacks are at the whites, that’s how angry many — not all — whites are at the blacks. Blacks ask for reparations for slavery and Jim Crow, as if paying today’s twenty-year-old crack addict had anything to do with his ten times removed grandfather being a slave or could make any difference at all to the soul of that slave. “What I wonder is when white people are going to start asking black people for reparations for wrecking the public schools, for destroying urban life in many cities, for the insanely disproportionate share of armed robberies, homicides, and rapes they commit?

IDF official: Israel must foster unlikely alliances with regional neighbors to combat ISIS threat
The threat of Islamic State has compelled Israel to foster unlikely alliances, or “frenemies,” IDF Planning Directorate head, Maj.-Gen. Nimrod Shefer tell Post’s Diplomatic Conference.

Congress quietly expands NSA powers for spying on Americans
By way of two pieces of legislation, Congress maintained and expanded the NSA’s surveillance powers. In a bill now headed for President Barack Obama’s desk, Congress gave the agency what civil liberties advocates argue is an unprecedented authority to collect and store data belonging to American citizens.

Commander: Iran Monitoring every move and logistical back up of the US, British and Israeli navies
n relevant remarks in November, Head of the Navy's Research and Self-Sufficiency Jihad Office General Ali Gholamzadeh also said that the Iranian naval forces deployed in the high seas were monitoring every move and logistical back up of the US, British and Israeli navies.

Facing "Palestine" With Truth: An Uncommon Perspective
Credo quia absurdum. "I believe because it is absurd." Almost everywhere, individual countries and amalgams of countries (European Union is the latest such amalgam) are falling over themselves to endorse "Palestine." Systematically ignoring long-term deceptions associated with demands for Palestinian sovereignty - and also relevant contradictions between recognition and statehood under international law - such endorsements will further undermine regional stability.

Oil price slump to trigger new US debt default crisis as Opec waits
Based on recent stress tests of subprime borrowers in the energy sector in the US produced by Deutsche Bank, should the price of US crude fall by a further 20pc to $60 per barrel, it could result in up to a 30pc default rate among B and CCC rated high-yield US borrowers in the industry.

The GOP: For Wall Street, Not Main Street
And ultimately we got a clear picture of where Republican leaders stand. They headed to the edge of the shutdown cliff, willing to shut down the government for a Wall Street bailout, but unwilling to do so to stop the President’s amnesty plan.

Fault zone off NW coast silent: 'It's storing energy'
EUGENE, Ore. - The fault off the Northwest coast where geologists predict a massive quake will someday shake is eerily quiet, scientists say. A University of Oregon seismic expert said that could signal problems down the road.

Peace In Ukraine By Appeasing Putin? Refuting The Ill-Informed Proposal
Two Washington policy wonks propose an appeasement policy that would doom Ukraine and give Putin a huge victory over the West, while offering no tangible benefits. Their “win-win-win” policy is based on a fundamental lack of understanding of the Kremlin.

Eighth North Texas earthquake in less than a month
he Dallas-Fort Worth area experienced its eighth earthquake in less than a month Thursday evening

Is Obama secretly working to replace Netanyahu?
Nurtured in the Saul Alinsky-style, ACORN-esque tactics of organizing revolution ...Barack Obama...understood early on the importance of a crisis and how to ride the waves of an emergency to effect the fundamental transformation of society. ...The White House has singled out Netanyahu as standing in the way of Obama's utopian vision for a new Middle East and Persian Gulf.

Congress Passes Bill Which Grants “Unlimited Access to Communications of Every American”
According to Congressman Justin Amash, Congress just passed a bill which grants the government and law enforcement “unlimited access to the communications of every American”. ...Intelligence Authorization Act for FY 2015 had been amended with a provision that authorizes “the acquisition, retention, and dissemination” of all communications data from U.S. citizens...

Kenyan MPs pass Security Law after heated debate
The Kenyan parliament has passed a controversial bill aimed at "enhancing the authorities' capacity" to deal with terrorism and security issues. Members of parliament engaged in heated debate on Thursday before the bill was passed, with the opposition saying the law would infringe basic human rights. They and human rights groups have said they will stage protests if the bill is not amended to be less draconian.

US House passes $1.1tn budget bill to avert shutdown
The US House of Representatives has passed a $1.1tn budget, hours before government was due to shut down at midnight on Thursday. The Republican measure was passed by 219 votes to 206 after President Barack Obama had urged Democrats to support the budget. It will fund most of the government until September 2015, but some areas will only receive short-term funding.

Iran says nuclear talks to resume in Geneva Wednesday
Tehran - Iran will resume negotiations with world powers in Geneva next week aimed at reaching a deal over Tehran's controversial nuclear programme, its deputy foreign minister said Thursday.

Obama Justice Department Was Involved In IRS Targeting, Lerner Emails Reveal
The documents prove that Lois Lerner met with DOJ’s Election Crimes Division a month before the 2010 elections. Ms. Lerner was talking to DOJ officials about prosecuting tax-exempt entities (yes, criminally!) two years before the IRS conceded there was inappropriate targeting.

Storm Fueled By 'Pineapple Express' Brings Hurricane-Force Winds to California, Oregon, Washington; Flood Threat Continues
A powerful storm fueled by a stream of tropical moisture called the "Pineapple Express" is battering not only drought-stricken California but the entire West Coast with damaging winds and enough rain to cause flooding and landslides. On top of that, the Sierra Nevada is in line for a bona fide blizzard likely to make travel there all but impossible.The National Weather Service in Monterey, California, said Monday that this storm is "expected to be one of the strongest storms in terms of wind and rain intensity" since storms in October 2009 and January 2008.On Thursday afternoon in Oregon, the Portland International Airport recorded a 62-mph wind gust, its highest wind gust in nearly 19 years.

Black Pro-Lifers: If “Black Lives Matter,” Why Don’t They Protest Abortion?
Each and every life matters – but, as the media cry “black lives matter,” they conveniently forget the millions of black babies destroyed in abortion. The phrase “Black Lives Matter” surfaced in the news and on social media after a grand jury’s decision not to indict police officer Darren Wilson for the murder of 18-year-old Michael Brown last month. The mantra continued after a viral video showed Eric Garner’s death after a confrontation with New York police. From the beginning, the media pushed the phrase – while, at the same time, ignored a Nov. 27 CDC report revealing 78 percent of the babies aborted in New York City in 2011 were black and Hispanic.

The Gaza Strip: What Can Israel Do to Postpone – or Even Prevent – the Next Round of Vio
This article examines three options for Israel regarding the reconstruction of Gaza. None of these options are optimal for Israel, as they do not guarantee a long term lull in hostilities – although two have the advantage of including a political initiative, which could extricate Israel from its international isolation and facilitate a breakthrough in the political deadlock.

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Congress sends Obama $1.1 T spending bill
Congress cleared a $1.1 trillion spending bill for President Barack Obama's signature late Saturday night after a day of Senate intrigue capped by a failed, largely symbolic Republican challenge to the administration's new immigration policy.

Dozens killed in Afghanistan fighting as foreign troops head home
The Afghan Taliban killed a Supreme Court official, a dozen mine clearers and several national and foreign soldiers but also suffered heavy losses from intensifying violence ahead of the withdrawal of most international troops in the next two weeks.

Yemen kills 'al-Qaeda militants disguised as veiled women'
Several suspected al-Qaeda militants, disguised as fully veiled women, have reportedly been shot dead by Yemeni security forces near the Saudi border. The militants were killed after one of them opened fire on a soldier who was checking their vehicle, officials say.

Why An Oil Crash Is Exactly What Obama Needs
Reuters As oil goes down, Obama's approval ratings could go up. The historic drop in crude-oil prices is poised to give a clear boost to President Barack Obama both in the US and abroad. "Even President Barack Obama likely would agree that 2014 has been a tough year for him—and he doubtless would welcome a sign that he will catch a break or two in 2015," Gerald Seib, the Washington bureau chief of The Wall Street Journal, wrote on Monday. " Well, here’s one: Low oil prices ... are shaping up as a win-win for the president."

No dogs in heaven: Pope's remarks on afterlife widely misreported
It was a touching story: Pope Francis consoling a distraught boy whose dog had died. The pontiff was said to have reassured the boy, telling him that he would one day see his beloved pet again and that "paradise is open to all of God’s creatures." However, Vatican scholars have deconstructed these reports and it was discovered that Francis' reported comments on November 26, were actually made by a Pope Paul VI several decades ago.

20 dead, 88 missing after mudslide in central Indonesia
Heavy rains in central Indonesia loosened soil and collapsed a hill, setting off a landslide that killed at least 20 villagers and left 88 others missing under piles of mud, officials said Sunday.

Small earthquake recorded near central New Jersey
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Officials say a very small earthquake in central New Jersey has caused no damage or injuries.

5.2-magnitude quake shakes southwestern Iran
A relatively strong quake has hit the city of Behbahan in the southwestern Iranian province of Khuzestan.

4.2 Hawaiʻi Earthquake off of Kailua-Kona
The USGS reports the quake occurred at a depth of 3.2 miles and was located: 35 miles WNW of Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi; 70 miles S of Kīhei, Maui; 78 miles S of Kahului, Maui; 78 miles S of Wailuku, Maui; and 137 miles SE of Honolulu, Oʻahu.

French parliament prepares new end-of-life legislation
Doctors in France will have the right to put terminally-ill patients into a deep sleep until they die, under plans unveiled on Friday that reignited a national debate on euthanasia.

Indonesia landslide: Many missing in Java
At least 17 people have died and more than 90 are missing after a landslide on Indonesia's main island of Java. Heavy rain caused the landslide near Jemblung village in central Java. Rescuers have been searching for survivors but a lack of heavy equipment is hampering efforts, with many forced to dig with their bare hands.

Mudslides and floods hit southern California
Heavy rains in southern California have triggered mudslides and flooding, killing one person and forcing the evacuation of hundreds of homes. The body was found in a drainage canal in a southern suburb of Los Angeles. Another hard-hit area was the town of Camarillo Springs, 50 miles (80km) north-west of Los Angeles, where a mudslide left 18 homes uninhabitable.

US Senate backs further defence spending for anti-IS fight
The US Senate has approved a new annual defence bill expanding the military campaign against Islamic State (IS). The bill approves a general Pentagon budget of $496bn (£316bn) plus $64bn for US wars abroad. The measure also authorises the training and equipping of moderate Syrian rebel fighters for two years.

FBI warns of possible Iranian cyber attack on US defense and energy institutions
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has warned US businesses to be on the alert for a sophisticated Iranian hacking operation whose targets include defense contractors, energy firms and educational institutions, according to a confidential agency document. The operation is the same as one flagged last week by cyber security firm Cylance Inc as targeting critical infrastructure organizations worldwide, cyber security experts said.

Ukraine cheers US vote for military aid, Russia outraged
Ukraine on Friday welcomed a US bill that would allow Washington to provide lethal military assistance to the embattled country, but Russia expressed outrage at the "openly confrontational" legislation.

Oil plunges again, reaches recession-level depths
Another forecast of weak global demand, another nosedive for oil. A 6-month rout in the price of oil accelerated this week, culminating in a 4 percent drop Friday — its third such drop in 5 days — to its lowest level since May of 2009, when the U.S. was still in recession.

Update: 7 more states join lawsuit to stop Obama’s amnesty - total up to 24
Earlier this month we talked about a lawsuit filed by Texas Attorney General and Governor-elect Greg Abbott. The suit seeks to stop Obama’s amnesty actions before they’re implemented. At the time, 17 states had joined the suit.

I Don’t Believe in Atheists–Neither Does God!
Most people have always done what they knew to be wrong and refused to do what they knew to be right proving the whole world is guilty before God. Faith in Christ satisfies the inner craving in every human heart that mere religion cannot satisfy.

Enhanced Torture of Homeless Veterans
As we know, there’s been a flood of politicians and bureaucrats on TV, cable, radio, newspapers and Internet reporting that the CIA purportedly tortured a few terrorist enemy combatants, and the reporting has been pouring down with more inundation than a torrential monsoon. The incessant sympathy toward a few terrorist thugs whose sole mission is to destroy America and our citizenry is considered newsworthy because they were apparently subjected to a form of torment based on the CIA’s “Enhanced Interrogation Techniques.”

Falling Oil Prices Push Venezuela Deeper Into China's Orbit
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had a Plan B in the event the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries declined to back his country’s proposal to cut output to boost prices.

Putin the Great, and the collapse of the Russian economy
In certain corners of conservative thought, it's been fashionable to portray Russian President Vladimir Putin as a master strategist who has outdueled Barack Obama at every turn. “The big problems are economic growth and the standard of living, which will deteriorate.”

Tennessee attraction offers Zombie Santa and undead elves for charity
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A Nashville-area haunted house is getting into the Christmas spirit this weekend, with Zombie Santa, his undead elves and one demonic reindeer going on the attack for fun and charity. "Instead of Christmas cheer, we are spreading some holiday fear," said Carroll Moore, who is turning his Halloween season "Death Yard Haunted Attraction" in Hendersonville into a Yuletide horror show this Friday and Saturday.

Palestinian shot after acid attack on Israeli family
Jerusalem - A Palestinian threw acid at a family of Israelis picking up a hitchhiker in the West Bank Friday before being shot and wounded, residents and the army said. The incident came with tensions running high in the occupied territories after months of unrest, and follows the death of a senior Palestinian official this week in a confrontation with Israeli troops.

Native Americans allowed to sell, grow marijuana, DOJ says
Native American tribes are allowed to grow and sell marijuana on their lands as long as they follow the same laws laid out for states that have legalized the drug, the U.S. Justice Department said Thursday.

Time capsule found at Massachusetts Statehouse
Crews removed a time capsule dating back to 1795 on Thursday from the granite cornerstone of the Massachusetts Statehouse, where historians believe it was originally placed by Revolutionary War luminaries Samuel Adams and Paul Revere among others.

A Very Scary Situation
Whipping up racial resentments among blacks is causing some ugly whites reactions. what the media is missing is that as angry as the blacks are at the whites, that’s how angry many — not all — whites are at the blacks. Blacks ask for reparations for slavery and Jim Crow, as if paying today’s twenty-year-old crack addict had anything to do with his ten times removed grandfather being a slave or could make any difference at all to the soul of that slave. “What I wonder is when white people are going to start asking black people for reparations for wrecking the public schools, for destroying urban life in many cities, for the insanely disproportionate share of armed robberies, homicides, and rapes they commit?

IDF official: Israel must foster unlikely alliances with regional neighbors to combat ISIS threat
The threat of Islamic State has compelled Israel to foster unlikely alliances, or “frenemies,” IDF Planning Directorate head, Maj.-Gen. Nimrod Shefer tell Post’s Diplomatic Conference.

Congress quietly expands NSA powers for spying on Americans
By way of two pieces of legislation, Congress maintained and expanded the NSA’s surveillance powers. In a bill now headed for President Barack Obama’s desk, Congress gave the agency what civil liberties advocates argue is an unprecedented authority to collect and store data belonging to American citizens.

Commander: Iran Monitoring every move and logistical back up of the US, British and Israeli navies
n relevant remarks in November, Head of the Navy's Research and Self-Sufficiency Jihad Office General Ali Gholamzadeh also said that the Iranian naval forces deployed in the high seas were monitoring every move and logistical back up of the US, British and Israeli navies.

Facing "Palestine" With Truth: An Uncommon Perspective
Credo quia absurdum. "I believe because it is absurd." Almost everywhere, individual countries and amalgams of countries (European Union is the latest such amalgam) are falling over themselves to endorse "Palestine." Systematically ignoring long-term deceptions associated with demands for Palestinian sovereignty - and also relevant contradictions between recognition and statehood under international law - such endorsements will further undermine regional stability.

http://www.raptureready.com/rapnews_db.php

"Fair Use for Information & Educational Purposes"

Hostages held in Sydney cafe, forced to hold Islamic flag in window
SYDNEY - Dozens of hostages were trapped inside a central Sydney cafe on Monday, with local television showing some being forced to hold up a black flag with white Arabic writing in the window, raising fears of an attack linked to Islamic militants.

Going from bad to worse
The world is totally committed to the two-state solution. European country after country is passing non-binding resolutions to recognize Palestine in principle. The parameters of the deal which have been set in stone, notwithstanding that all issues are to be decided by negotiations, are the ’67 lines plus swaps and the division of Jerusalem. Never mind that such a deal is not good enough for the Arabs. Hamas rejects it outright.

Parents angry after school tells 13-year-olds they can have sex, choose gender
Students at one northern California high school are learning more than just the birds and the bees. Along with local area groups, some parents are irate that their children’s sex ed class at Acalanes High School in Lafayette is being taught by employees of Planned Parenthood without their prior knowledge. They are also fuming over the methods and materials being used, including a checklist that asks students if they are “ready for sex” and another worksheet that describes how to give and obtain consent, as well as a diagram that uses a "genderbread" person for lessons in gender identity.

The Bogeyman has entered the nursery
In the nightmare world progressives are designing for civil society, little tots are no longer your little tots. They are government-sought human resources to be raised as tomorrow’s anarchists. “On Wednesday, the White House Summit on Early Education will unveil nearly $1 billion in new “investments” to “expand access to high-quality early childhood education to every child in America” from “birth and continuing to age 5.”

Russian military jet in near-crash with passenger plane
A Russian military jet nearly collided with a commercial passenger airplane in international airspace near southern Sweden on Friday, the Swedish authorities said, but Russia insisted on Sunday that its jet had kept at a safe distance.

Turkey media arrests: Mogherini leads EU criticism
Top European Union officials have sharply criticised a mass arrest of media representatives in Turkey. Foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini and the commissioner heading EU enlargement talks said the arrests went "against European values". At least 24 people were arrested in police raids on a leading newspaper and TV station said to have close links with opposition parties.

Ebola in 2015 - end of the line for a killer?
After decades making brief, murderous forays from central Africa's forests, Ebola erupted into a global emergency in 2014, yet its success could spell its downfall as scientists scramble to relegate it to a footnote of medical history. From a single infection in impoverished west Africa, the epidemic swept into bustling cities, killed thousands and unleashed a wave of fear in far-off Europe and America.

Kerry, Lavrov meet as tensions soar over Ukraine
Top US diplomat John Kerry met his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov Sunday, amid anger in Moscow over the prospect of new US sanctions and possible lethal military aid for Ukraine.

Saudi Arabia’s oil war against Iran and Russia
This week, oil fell through the price floor of $60 a barrel and gas at my local filling station was $2.26 a gallon. That’s great news for commuters and almost every business, but wonderfully bad news for our ugliest enemies. If oil prices remain low through next year, the effect on rogue governments, from the Russian Federation to Venezuela, will go from damaging to devastating.

French parliament prepares new end-of-life legislation
Doctors in France will have the right to put terminally-ill patients into a deep sleep until they die, under plans unveiled on Friday that reignited a national debate on euthanasia. ...In France, a 2005 law permits "passive euthanasia", where a person causes death by withholding or withdrawing treatment that is necessary to maintain life.

Shia pilgrims flock to Karbala for Arbaeen climax
Huge numbers of Shia Muslim pilgrims gathered in the Iraqi city of Karbala at the climax of a key festival, despite threats of violence. Iraq says up to 17 million made the pilgrimage over 40 days this year, more than a million from Iran, and many remained for the ceremony of Arbaeen. Tight security aimed to prevent attacks by Islamic State (IS) and other Sunni militant groups.

Turkey police raid media linked to opposition cleric Gulen
Turkish police have raided a newspaper and TV station close to a US-based Islamic cleric, Fethullah Gulen. There were raids across Turkey and at least 14 people were arrested, Turkish media reported. Mr Gulen is a rival of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. His Hizmet movement has millions of supporters.

ISIS published female sex slave handbook
Perhaps you were wondering if all the terrible tales of Islamic State sex slavery could be true? After all, they claim to be an ultra-religious group. ...Islamists recently handed out pamphlets in Mosul, Iraq, entitled, “Questions and Answers on Taking Captives and Slaves,” explaining in a clear question- and-answer format the official positions of Islamic State concerning female slavery, according to CNN.

Congress sends Obama $1.1 T spending bill
Congress cleared a $1.1 trillion spending bill for President Barack Obama's signature late Saturday night after a day of Senate intrigue capped by a failed, largely symbolic Republican challenge to the administration's new immigration policy.

Dozens killed in Afghanistan fighting as foreign troops head home
The Afghan Taliban killed a Supreme Court official, a dozen mine clearers and several national and foreign soldiers but also suffered heavy losses from intensifying violence ahead of the withdrawal of most international troops in the next two weeks.

Yemen kills 'al-Qaeda militants disguised as veiled women'
Several suspected al-Qaeda militants, disguised as fully veiled women, have reportedly been shot dead by Yemeni security forces near the Saudi border. The militants were killed after one of them opened fire on a soldier who was checking their vehicle, officials say.

Why An Oil Crash Is Exactly What Obama Needs
Reuters As oil goes down, Obama's approval ratings could go up. The historic drop in crude-oil prices is poised to give a clear boost to President Barack Obama both in the US and abroad. "Even President Barack Obama likely would agree that 2014 has been a tough year for him—and he doubtless would welcome a sign that he will catch a break or two in 2015," Gerald Seib, the Washington bureau chief of The Wall Street Journal, wrote on Monday. " Well, here’s one: Low oil prices ... are shaping up as a win-win for the president."

No dogs in heaven: Pope's remarks on afterlife widely misreported
It was a touching story: Pope Francis consoling a distraught boy whose dog had died. The pontiff was said to have reassured the boy, telling him that he would one day see his beloved pet again and that "paradise is open to all of God’s creatures." However, Vatican scholars have deconstructed these reports and it was discovered that Francis' reported comments on November 26, were actually made by a Pope Paul VI several decades ago.


20 dead, 88 missing after mudslide in central Indonesia
Heavy rains in central Indonesia loosened soil and collapsed a hill, setting off a landslide that killed at least 20 villagers and left 88 others missing under piles of mud, officials said Sunday.

Small earthquake recorded near central New Jersey
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Officials say a very small earthquake in central New Jersey has caused no damage or injuries.

5.2-magnitude quake shakes southwestern Iran
A relatively strong quake has hit the city of Behbahan in the southwestern Iranian province of Khuzestan.

4.2 Hawaiʻi Earthquake off of Kailua-Kona
The USGS reports the quake occurred at a depth of 3.2 miles and was located: 35 miles WNW of Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi; 70 miles S of Kīhei, Maui; 78 miles S of Kahului, Maui; 78 miles S of Wailuku, Maui; and 137 miles SE of Honolulu,

http://www.raptureready.com/rapnews_db.php

"Fair Use for Information & Educational Purposes"

Hong Kong police clear a few final protesters from streets
four days after police cleared the streets around Hong Kong government headquarters of nearly all pro-democracy protesters, authorities on Monday moved against two small bands of holdouts.

As Ukraine truce holds, Russia vows economic pain
Fighting in eastern Ukraine between government troops and Russian-backed separatist forces has ground almost to halt. That should be good news for Ukraine, but Russia looks intent to pile on the economic misery.

Iraq jihadists release pictures of mass execution
The Islamic State (IS) group on Monday released pictures of the execution of 13 men described as anti-jihadist Sunni tribal fighters near the northern city of Tikrit. Three pictures published on a jihadist forum and pro-IS social media accounts show the execution of the men wearing orange jumpsuits.

What would happen if the Yellowstone supervolcano actually erupted?
If the supervolcano underneath Yellowstone National Park ever had another massive eruption, it could spew ash for thousands of miles across the United States, damaging buildings, smothering crops, and shutting down power plants. It'd be a huge disaster.

Obama's Joke Calling Troops 'Santa in Fatigues' Silences Audience
Monday, at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey, during an address to the troops,... Obama made a joke that they are like "'Santa in Fatigues," which was received with complete silence,

Jeff Sessions: Funding Exec Amnesty Helps DC, Wall St. 'Super Elites' Realize 'Dream of a World Without Borders'
"The only challenge these great global citizens face are these pesky people called voters who cling to the old-fashioned idea of a nation as a home and a border as something real and worth protecting," Sessions said. Iranian Guman Dead in Sydney
THREE DEAD IN BLOODY END TO SYDNEY SIEGE: Two hostages die and Muslim extremist gunned down as police storm Martin Place café with assault rifles and stun grenades moments after people fled.

What would happen if the Yellowstone supervolcano actually erupted?
If the supervolcano underneath Yellowstone National Park ever had another massive eruption, it could spew ash for thousands of miles across the United States, damaging buildings, smothering crops, and shutting down power plants. It'd be a huge disaster. But that doesn't mean we should all start freaking out.

Rabid She-Wolf Discovered in Golan
A rabid she-wolf was discovered yesterday in the Golan and has not been caught yet. The large wolf is described as being light brown and dark brown in color.

Agreement reached over United Nations Climate Talks in Lima for Paris Pact
Climate negotiators in Lima have finally come on some ground of consortium in establishing a compromise deal that has set the wheels in motion for a global pact in Paris next year. Moreover, they have also rejected in unison the extensive cut in emissions of greenhouse gases that were initially planned.

Rick Warren’s Call for Christians to Unite With Catholics, ‘Holy Father’ Raising Concerns
Rick Warren is calling for Christians to unite with Roman Catholics and “Pope Francis,” who Warren recently referred to as the “Holy Father”—a move that is raising concerns among Christians nationwide and is resulting in calls for Warren to repent.

Fed faces big decision over a few choice words
Federal Reserve officials will decide this week whether to make a critical change to their policy statement that would widen the door for interest rate hikes next year and effectively bet the United States will continue to shine in a gloomy global economy.

Jeb Bush email release stokes talk of run
Jeb Bush said he will release 250,000 emails from his two terms in office and write an eBook outlining his governing philosophy during an interview aired Sunday. The moves have set the political sphere atwitter with speculation he’s closer than ever to deciding to run for president in 2016.

Strong eruption and major pyroclastic flow observed at Sinabung volcano, Indonesia
Darwin VAAC reported a high level eruption of Indonesian Sinabung volcano on December 14, 2014. Aviation Color Code was briefly set to Red and later downgraded to Orange as the eruption became less active.

Liberate the Temple Mount for Israel's Survival
Arab spokesmen were so skillful and able to manipulate history that today the UN, Europe, America and the chattering classes, which have no religion at all, are all reinforcing the Arab claim that any who died on the Temple Mount were martyred defenders of holy places, mowed down by savage, unprovoked “Israeli settlers”.

Australian Jews 'Under Lockdown'
Jewish community's security arm raises the threat level to “severe” after a terrorist went into a Sydney Chocolate shop and took hostages.

Meretz chief Gal-On calls on Netanyahu to back Palestinian statehood bid at UN
"Bilateral negotiations should be held between two equal governments," Gal-On said. For the last five years, she said, "Netanyahu has initiated destructive diplomatic policies that have isolated Israel."

Multiple earthquakes shake Oklahoma, including magnitude 4.3
The U.S. Geological Survey has recorded six earthquakes in Oklahoma, including one of magnitude of 4.3.

3.0 magnitude earthquake strikes near Lenior
LENOIR, N.C. — The U.S. Geological Survey confirmed that an earthquake centered about nine miles north of Lenoir struck early Monday morning. The earthquake's magnitude was measured at 3.0 and was almost 10 miles deep.

INCREASING CHANCE OF FLARES
NOAA forecasters have raised the odds of an M-class solar flare today to 55%. This is in response to the emergence of several new sunspots, especially fast-growing AR2242.

Magnitude-3.6 quake shakes area around San Joaquin
A small earthquake has struck central California but no damage or injuries are reported.

U.N. talks agree building blocks for new-style climate deal in 2015
About 190 nations agreed on Sunday the building blocks of a new-style global deal due in 2015 to combat climate change amid warnings that far tougher action will be needed to limit increases in global temperatures. Under the deal reached in Lima, governments will submit national plans for reining in greenhouse gas emissions by an informal deadline of March 31, 2015...

Cairo bathhouse raid spreads fear in Egyptian gay community
Egypt’s government has aggressively cracked down on Islamist and liberal opponents over the past year. Now officials are increasingly targeting another group: gay people. Police raided a public bathhouse in Cairo this month and arrested at least two dozen men, parading them half-naked in front of television cameras before hauling them off to prison.

Israel-Palestinians: Kerry meets Lavrov in Rome
US Secretary of State John Kerry has met his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, in Rome on the eve of talks with the Israeli prime minister. Mr Lavrov opened the talks at the US embassy with a call to work together to prevent any further deterioration in the situation in the Middle East. Benjamin Netanyahu is due to meet Mr Kerry as EU states push for a deal on Palestinian statehood.

Australia's budget deficit to widen by A$10bn
Australia's government has said it expects the nation's deficit to grow to $40.4bn Australian dollars ($33.2bn; £21.2bn) in the 12 months to June. Earlier in the year, the deficit for the period had been forecast to come in at A$29.8bn. The country's treasurer, Joe Hockey, said falling prices for key export commodities had hurt the economy.

EU says Turkish media crackdown will harm relations
The EU and US have warned Turkey that its latest crackdown on free press will harm relations. The EU’s top diplomat, Federica Mogherini, and its enlargement commissioner, Johannes Hahn, said on Sunday (14 December) the “operation goes against the European values and standards Turkey aspires to be part of”.

Hundreds of Chinese said fighting alongside Islamic State in Middle East
About 300 Chinese people are fighting alongside the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, a Chinese state-run newspaper said on Monday, a rare tally that is likely to fuel worry in China that militants pose a threat to security. China has expressed concern about the rise of Islamic State in the Middle East, nervous about the effect it could have on its Xinjiang region.

Israel’s Gas Offers Lifeline for Peace
THE TAMAR PLATFORM, Israel — Alarms rang out across the Tamar natural gas platform off the coast of Israel. The Israeli navy had detected smoky signs that a rocket might have been fired by Hamas from the shores of Gaza. As a voice over the loudspeaker warned to take cover, the crew raced up the metal stairs to a small gym that doubles as an air raid shelter.

Hostages held in Sydney cafe, forced to hold Islamic flag in window
SYDNEY - Dozens of hostages were trapped inside a central Sydney cafe on Monday, with local television showing some being forced to hold up a black flag with white Arabic writing in the window, raising fears of an attack linked to Islamic militants.

Going from bad to worse
The world is totally committed to the two-state solution. European country after country is passing non-binding resolutions to recognize Palestine in principle. The parameters of the deal which have been set in stone, notwithstanding that all issues are to be decided by negotiations, are the ’67 lines plus swaps and the division of Jerusalem. Never mind that such a deal is not good enough for the Arabs. Hamas rejects it outright.

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Russia invites North Korea leader for May visit: paper
TOKYO - Russia has invited North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to attend a May ceremony marking the end of World War Two, in what would be Kim's first foreign visit since taking the helm of the reclusive state in 2011, Japan's Asahi Shimbun daily said on Wednesday.

Syria moves to ensure Iranian oil supplies do not falter
BEIRUT/DUBAI - The Syrian government took steps on Tuesday to ensure oil imports from major ally Iran will continue to meet its needs as winter approaches, sending a high-level delegation to Tehran for talks with Iranian officials including President Hassan Rouhani.

US judge says Obama immigration action invalid
U.S. District Judge Arthur Schwab says Obama's order in November designed to spare millions living illegally in the United States from deportation amounts to "unilateral legislative action" in violation of the Constitution. Schwab issued his opinion Tuesday in a criminal case involving an immigrant here illegally from Honduras.

More than 100 children among the dead in Taliban attack on Pakistan school
At least 126 people, including more than 100 children, were killed Tuesday when Taliban gunmen stormed a school in the Pakistani city of Peshawar, taking hundreds of students hostage in the bloodiest insurgent attack in the country in years.

66 journalists killed in past year as attacks grow more barbaric: report
Paris - Attacks on journalists have grown more barbaric and kidnappings have soared, Reporters Without Borders said Tuesday, after a year when violence against the media took centre stage and 66 reporters were killed.

Palestinians to push UN vote despite US veto warning
Ramallah (Palestinian Territories)- The Palestinians will press ahead Wednesday with a UN bid to boost their hopes of statehood, despite a warning that the US will block the move, officials said.

The Assad Regime Is Facing Its Most Severe Crisis In Years
After three years of grueling warfare against armed opposition fighters, the Syrian regime faces a dire internal crisis not witnessed since the initial months of the conflict. Despite reinforcement from tens of thousands of foreign volunteers, Lebanese Hezbollah militants, and pro-government militias, regime forces have proven unable to decisively overcome rebel brigades on the battlefield.

Judge declares Obama immigration action unconstitutional
WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama's new plan to ease the threat of deportation for 4.7 million undocumented immigrants violates the U.S. Constitution, a federal judge found on Tuesday, handing down the first legal ruling against the plan. The ruling has no immediate impact, with the government saying there was no reason for Judge Arthur Schwab of the Western District of Pennsylvania to address the issue in the case, which concerns 42-year-old Honduran immigrant Elionardo Juarez-Escobar.

U.N. sending thousands of Muslims to America
The federal government is preparing for another “surge” in refugees and this time they won’t be coming illegally from Central America. The U.S. State Department announced this week that the first major contingent of Syrian refugees, 9,000 of them, have been hand-selected by the United Nations for resettlement into communities across the United States. The announcement came Tuesday on the State Department’s website.

Putin’s ‘shock and awe’ puts the markets on high alert
In the wee hours of a Moscow morning, Russia took a massive step toward protecting the ruble and defending its ailing economy against a currency crisis. The country’s central bank, in a surprise move, raised its key interest rate to 17% from 10.5%, effective today. That’s the biggest bump since the government defaulted on debt back in 1998.

Leaking his 2016 plans: How Jeb Bush is working the media refs
It wasn’t exactly subtle, and that was the point. After more than a year of playing Hamlet, Jeb Bush had left most media and political players wondering if he was just too ambivalent to mount a presidential campaign. And he needed to send a clear, unambiguous signal that he wants to be a contender in 2016. Voila: the magic leak.

World set to end year in brittle economic state
The global economy is ending the year in a fragile state with factory activity shrinking in China, euro zone business growth remaining weak, and emerging market giant Russia in a spiraling currency crisis. "These are uncertain times again and there is a risk of another global downturn," said Stephen Webster, chief European economist at 4CAST.

Over 120 Pakistanis, mostly children, killed in Taliban high school attack
At least 126 people, most of them children, were killed on Tuesday when Taliban gunmen stormed a school in the Pakistani city of Peshawar, taking hundreds of students hostage in the bloodiest insurgent attack in the country in years.

After these gun rights poll numbers, Bloomberg might have a Big Gulp
By a margin of 52 percent to 46 percent, Americans say protecting the rights of gun owners is more important than gun control, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center released Wednesday. It is the first time Pew found more support for gun ownership than gun control in more than two decades of surveys on the issue.

SUNSPOT OF INTEREST
A sunspot is rapidly emerging in the sun's southern hemisphere, and it poses a threat for strong geoeffective explosions.

Sony Meeting After Hackers Vow 'Christmas Gift'
Sony Pictures organized a town hall-style meeting with staff Monday to discuss the massive cyber attack on the Hollywood studio, a day after hackers promised a big "Christmas gift." Staff were called together at its headquarters west of Los Angeles to hear how the company is responding to the ongoing hacking attack which has produced a string of damaging and highly embarrassing leaks.

The Moral Minority
According to Pew, 51% think the CIA methods against enemy combatants were justified, 56% think we gained useful information from doing so, and 42% oppose the Senate releasing its report while 43% support it. In fact, as Pew noted, “the public expresses the most doubt not about the CIA methods and program itself, but about the Senate committee’s decision to release its report”.

Spain IS: Seven held in raids on women recruiters
Seven people have been detained in Spain and Morocco in raids targeting a network recruiting women to join Islamic State (IS) in Syria and Iraq, officials say. Four people were held after raids in the two Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla in North Africa. There was another arrest in Barcelona.

Russian rouble in free fall over oil price, EU sanctions
In a surprise announcement on Monday (15 December), the Russian central bank said it would raise its key interest rate to 17 percent from 10.5 percent. The move is aimed at shoring up the tumbling currency as the Russian economy feels the pain of a low oil price - oil and gas are Russia's main exports - combined with US and EU sanctions over Russian involvement in the Ukrainian war.

Palestinian hurls explosive at IDF, shot dead by soldiers
Palestinian assailants in the West Bank threw a pipe bomb toward IDF forces carrying out an arrest early Tuesday... A Duvdevan unit entered Kalandiya early on Tuesday and arrested a wanted security suspect. On its way out, the unit was attacked by Palestinians, one of whom hurled an explosive at soldiers. Soldiers returned fire, striking the Palestinian who hurled the bomb.

Iran Readies Ballistic Missiles Against US, FBI Says Iran Hackers Target Key US Departments
Iran's ballistic missiles, radars and satellites against its enemies are all geared up, according to the deputy commander of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard Corps or IRCG Hossein Salami. The warning comes after the United States announced extended deadline for the Iran nuclear negotiation to July 2015.

Peter King: Sydney Attack Part of 'Changing Face of Terrorism'
The attack in Sydney in which a gunman held numerous hostages in a 16-hour ordeal was an example of the "changing face of terrorism," Rep. Peter King told Fox News on "America's Newsroom." Man Haron Monis, the Iranian refugee identified in the attack, held an unknown number of people hostage in Lindt Chocolat Cafe in a standoff that began early Monday. The crisis ended after heavily armed police swarmed the cafe early Tuesday morning, local time.

Sheriff Babeu: Immigration Order Will Defer 20M Deportations
As many as 20 million undocumented immigrants will qualify for President Barack Obama's deferred deportation action, says Paul Babeu, sheriff of Pinal County, Arizona. The number would be an alarming increase from the estimated 5 million initially expected to qualify under the executive action

No Polite Way to Say it, We Were Lied to on Ebola
The current Ebola outbreak is “the most severe, acute health emergency seen in modern times,” Ian Smith, the World Health Organization’s executive director, announced at a mid-October press conference.

Correcting the Rise of Political Anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism is politically motivated. In Germany, the Nazis targeted the Jews in part because they represented liberal democracy and emancipation, the antithesis of everything that an authoritative Nazi Germany stood for.

Florida asks Supreme Court to block gay marriage
TALLAHASSEE - Florida's Attorney General Pam Bondi asked the U.S. Supreme Court late on Monday to block same-sex marriage in the state next month while the state continues its legal defense of its constitutional definition of marriage as a heterosexual union.

Police storm Sydney cafe to end hostage siege, three dead
SYDNEY - Heavily armed Australian police stormed a Sydney cafe early on Tuesday morning and freed terrified hostages held there at gunpoint, in a dramatic end to a 16-hour siege in which two captives and the attacker were killed.

Israel seeks U.S. block of Palestinian statehood drive
ROME - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday sought assurances from U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry that Washington would block efforts by Palestinians and Europeans on Palestinian statehood.

15,000 join anti-Islam protest in eastern Germany
Dresden (Germany) - A record 15,000 people marched Monday in eastern Germany against "asylum cheats" and the country's "Islamisation" in the latest show of strength of a growing far-right populist movement.

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A Dangerous Holiday
Holidays are a calendar. They mark points in emotional and physical time. They remind of us who we are. Many of those celebrating Chanukah celebrate a holiday that does nothing more than celebrate ‘celebration’, the rituals and rites of entertainment, a special food, a symbol whose meaning they don’t remember and a little family fun. Chanukah is many things but it is not a safe holiday. It is a victory celebration in a guerrilla war. It is a reminder that Obama’s war on Jerusalem was preceded long before him by Antiochus’s war on Jerusalem. It is a brief light in a period of great darkness.

Law Enforcement and National Security vs. Global Business Interests
Three interesting processes are underway as a direct result of Edward Snowden’s revelations about the extent of the access by US security services to personal information stored and processed in the IT systems of global American companies. One of these processes is essentially technological, the second is legal, and the third is of a business nature. All three processes are designed to constrict access by American government agencies to personal information held by those companies, in their effort to preserve national security and enforce the law.

UN: Turning back the clock to pre-1948 is the real endgame
Apparently, a direct attack on the legitimacy of the UN member state of Israel is now interpreted in UN circles as consistent with the principles of the United Nations. Incitement against the Jewish state is directly related to the stabbings, raping and killing of Jews inside and outside of Israel. But doing something to stop it requires confronting a very troubling fact: the global epicenter for incitement is the “human rights” leviathan, the United Nations.

Ruble collapse: Freakish Russian ruble rout is unlike any currency crisis in history
A large part of Russia's problems today come from an over-reliance on oil exports. Oil sales bring in 70% of Russia's exports value. As IBTimes UK went to press, Brent crude oil dipped below $59 per barrel for the first time since 2009. Russia needs oil to be selling at $109 per barrel in order to break even.

America under dictatorship
Just as Fidel Castro became Cuba’s dictator when he and his guerrillas triumphantly entered Havana on January 7, 1959, President Barack Obama became America’s dictator on Dec. 17, 2014. Swaggering into Havana dressed in army fatigues with his signature cigar, Castro claimed the island as his own. Like a thief making off with a nation in the middle of the night, Obama waiting until Congress was out of town, opened America to a Communist totalitarian state.

Opponent calls for Putin's exit as Russia slides into crisis
MOSCOW - A prominent opponent has warned Vladimir Putin his days in power are numbered, as Russia awaits the president's response to the dramatic decline of the rouble.

Germany: 15,000 join anti-Islam protest in Dresden
Marking a 50% rise in attendance since the demonstration last Monday, the founder of the Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the Occident (PEGIDA), Lutz Bachmann, addressed the protestors saying: "The people are with us! Everywhere now.

Palestinians set deadline for Israeli occupation
UNITED NATIONS — Israel suffered back-to-back diplomatic setbacks in Europe on Wednesday, while the Palestinians at the United Nations set a deadline for an Israeli withdrawal from lands captured nearly 50 years ago by the end of 2017.

The Syrian Army Is Shrinking, And Assad Is Running Out Of Soldiers
When the U.S. launched an airstrike campaign in Syria to “degrade and destroy” the so-called Islamic State, some were concerned that the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad would indirectly benefit from the destruction rained down on its enemies by America and its allies. Now, nearly three months later, Assad is desperate for manpower to maintain control in areas where pro-regime support is dwindling.

Reports of U.S. Ground Fighters Emerge as ISIS Gains in Iraq
No matter how many bombs Americans drop on ISIS forces, Iraqi troops are losing ground. If al-Anbar is lost, the entire Iraqi front dynamic will shift to favor ISIS again, and months of the U.S.-led air campaign will have been wasted. Maybe that’s why we had reports from an Iraqi field commander on Tuesday that U.S. forces had their first ground clash with ISIS terrorists at midnight on Monday, Baghdad time. ISIS fighters were forced to withdraw after U.S. air force fighters bombed enemy positions.

Russians rush to stores to pre-empt price rises
Russian consumers flocked to stores Wednesday, frantically buying a range of big-ticket items as they looked to pre-empt price rises following the staggering fall in the value of the ruble over recent days.

Volcano Erupts Destroying Cape Verde Villages
The eruption of the volcano Pico do Fogo has destroyed two villages and threatens a forest reserve. Around 1,500 people fled their homes before the lava flow reached the villages of Portela and Bangeira on Fogo Island, Cape Verde, fire brigade chief Arlindo Lima said. "The lava front, (which was) more than 500 metres north of outlying houses in Bangeira a week ago, has swept over much of the village and continues to move forward," Mr Lima added.

Pentagon confirms military buildup along Russian borders for ‘peace and stability’
The Pentagon has confirmed the military buildup along Russia’s borders to ensure long-term “peace and stability” in the region. Earlier Moscow accused NATO of a sharp increase in air activity and intelligence flights in the border zone.

White House: ruble plunge has Russia between 'rock and hard place'
"It's a serious economic situation that is largely of their own making and largely reflects the consequences of not following a set of international rules," Furman said.

Sony Hackers Vow There’s More to Come: ‘Remember the 11th of September 2001′
“Soon all the world will see what an awful movie Sony Pictures Entertainment has made. The world will be full of fear,” the message reportedly reads. “Remember the 11th of September 2001.” The “full message,” which Variety published Tuesday, infers in somewhat broken English that its next strike (or strikes) will occur in movie theaters.

CHRISTMAS COMET
"it's amazing how this comet is developing and increasing in brightness," says Ligustri. Indeed, it is brightening faster than experts predicted. Originally the comet was supposed to reach naked-eye visibility in January or February 2015. It may be crossing that threshold now.

European Parliament Votes to Recognize 'Palestine'
EU parliament votes to recognize Palestinian state 'in principle', just hours after removing Hamas from terrorism blacklist.

ALMOST-X FLARE
Active sunspot AR2242 erupted on Dec. 17th, producing an M9-class solar flare. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the extreme ultraviolet flash. Radio emissions from shock waves billowing away from the blast site suggest that a CME is emerging and possibly heading toward Earth.

NASA Voyager: 'Tsunami wave' still flies through interstellar space
The "tsunami wave" that NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft began experiencing earlier this year is still propagating outward, according to new results. It is the longest-lasting shock wave that researchers have seen in interstellar space.

Three Questions for Jeb Bush
Jeb Bush has declared he is officially looking at running for the Presidency in 2016. He is not my first pick. But I would gladly vote for him against any Democrat.

Rouble's tailspin sparks fears for Russia
A free-falling Russian rouble on Tuesday prompted fears that the nuclear-armed nation could be entering a deep economic recession with the potential for unrest, as citizens and investors try to get their hands on cash amid crippling international sanctions and sinking oil prices.

Earthquakes
M6.0 earthquake jolted the sea area near S. Sumatra Wed., the quake hit at a depth of 10km.(CENC)

Magnitude 4.6 quake jolts Misamis Oriental
A magnitude 4.6 earthquake shook the province of Misamis Oriental on Wednesday afternoon, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

Obama issues 'executive orders by another name'
President Obama has issued a form of executive action known as the presidential memorandum more often than any other president in history — using it to take unilateral action even as he has signed fewer executive orders. When these two forms of directives are taken together, Obama is on track to take more high-level executive actions than any president since Harry Truman...

EU court says Hamas should be removed from terror blacklist
Hamas should be removed from the European Union's terrorist list, an EU court ruled on Wednesday, saying the decision to include it was based merely on media and internet reports. However, the General Court of the European Union, the bloc's second highest tribunal, said EU member states could maintain their freeze on Hamas's assets for three months to give time for further review or to appeal the ruling.

Russia invites North Korea leader for May visit: paper
TOKYO - Russia has invited North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to attend a May ceremony marking the end of World War Two, in what would be Kim's first foreign visit since taking the helm of the reclusive state in 2011, Japan's Asahi Shimbun daily said on Wednesday.

Syria moves to ensure Iranian oil supplies do not falter
BEIRUT/DUBAI - The Syrian government took steps on Tuesday to ensure oil imports from major ally Iran will continue to meet its needs as winter approaches, sending a high-level delegation to Tehran for talks with Iranian officials including President Hassan Rouhani.

More than 100 children among the dead in Taliban attack on Pakistan school
At least 126 people, including more than 100 children, were killed Tuesday when Taliban gunmen stormed a school in the Pakistani city of Peshawar, taking hundreds of students hostage in the bloodiest insurgent attack in the country in years.

66 journalists killed in past year as attacks grow more barbaric: report
Paris - Attacks on journalists have grown more barbaric and kidnappings have soared, Reporters Without Borders said Tuesday, after a year when violence against the media took centre stage and 66 reporters were killed.

Palestinians to push UN vote despite US veto warning
Ramallah (Palestinian Territories)- The Palestinians will press ahead Wednesday with a UN bid to boost their hopes of statehood, despite a warning that the US will block the move, officials said.


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IRAN: Islamic Revolutionary Guard’s Dramatic Heart Change
Afshin was the prime example of a devoted militant Muslim. As a member of a volunteer paramilitary group, he and his companions would strictly enforce Muslim law, often resorting to inhumane methods that involved the arrest and ill-treatment of innocent Christians. Afshin was taught to be callous towards the regime’s harsh political actions and participated in six executions, heartlessly mocking the helpless victims.

Russia Has Surpassed The US In The Production Of Combat Aircraft
According to the Joint Stock Company UAC (United Aircraft-building Corporation), Russia produced more combat aircraft than the US in 2014.

Israel looks on Europe with utter dismay
Britain, we see the rise of an emerging independent party, UKIP, which is Eurosceptic and takes a corrective line on the UK’s unbridled open-door immigration policy. In France, the Socialist Hollande looks likely to be replaced by the center-right Sarkozy.

China Tests ICBM With Multiple Warheads
The flight test of a new DF-41 missile, China’s longest-range intercontinental ballistic missile, marks the first test of multiple warhead capabilities for China, officials told the Washington Free Beacon. China has been known to be developing multiple-warhead technology, which it obtained from the United States illegally in the 1990s.

A Really Bad Day for Freedom
Freedom took a beating yesterday.America rolled over in the face of two of its longest standing adversaries, and we didn’t even get anything in return. North Korean despot Kim Jong Un and Cuba’s Raul Castro are probably exchanging celebratory emails as we speak after the one-two punch they landed on Obama’s America.

China Earthquake 2014 Today Strikes Nepal
A strong China earthquake today 2014 has also just struck Nepal. Officials tell news that a 5.0 magnitude China earthquake today began just minutes ago. Damage assessment is pending.

5.2 magnitude quake jolts parts of KP, Islamabad
Tremors were felt in various parts of Khyber Pakhunkhwa as well as the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi as earthquake measuring 5.2 was recorded on the Richter Scale on Thursday evening.

3.4 quake hits Alabama county for second time in month
The quake happened just four weeks after a magnitude 3.8 earthquake occurred about 10 miles northwest of Eutaw. That quake was about 3 miles beneath the surface of the Earth.

Why Muslims Are Converting to Christ in the Face of ISIS Atrocities
Former Muslims, who once prayed five times a day as a duty, say they don’t quite know how to describe the difference. "They say, 'Now with our relationship with God, we see a huge difference; something has changed in our life,'” he said. "You can see it on their faces. They say, 'Every time we pray, there’s a difference.'”

Death penalty for smuggling Bibles?
Several Christian missionaries said they were seeking to confirm a recent report by the Virginia-based Heart Cry Missionary Society that a new death penalty law has been adopted citing an “official statement” in Arabic on a Coptic Christian website called CoptsToday.

Communists Win the Day. Frank Marshall Davis Would Be Proud Of Obama
To reiterate my conclusion on Barack Obama’s world view and policy objectives: to make the world safer, the United States must be less safe. To make the world more stable, the United States must be less stable. To make the world more prosperous, the United States must be less prosperous.

Yellen Makes It Clear That Fed's Patience on Rates Has Limits
Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen restored clarity to the central bank’s monetary policy plans, saying it was on course to raise interest rates, though not right away, after officials issued a statement that some Fed-watchers found confusing.

Alphabetical list of all active volcanoes in the world
Abu (Honshu, Japan) shield volcano, 641 m / 2,103 ft Acamarachi (Northern Chile, Bolivia and Argentina, South America) stratovolcano, 6046 m / 19,836 ft Acatenango (Guatemala) Stratovolcano, 3976 m / 13,044 ft Continued:

Sierra Leone to Search for Ebola Cases in Capital
With the disease now spreading fastest in Sierra Leone, authorities are ramping up their response.

Russian Ruble Crisis Spreads Across US, Emerging Markets And BRIC Nations
“The currency has collapsed, and it’s possible that the economy could also collapse. They’ve become a wild card at this point, it’s a very dangerous situation,” said Stephen Guilfoyle, chief economist at Sarge986.com.

Small earthquake shakes Greene County half a mile from epicenter of similar quake in November
Alabama -- A magnitude 3.4 earthquake shook parts of Greene County Wednesday afternoon, according to the United States Geological Survey. The quake happened about 11 miles northwest of Eutaw, Ala. and 31 miles southwest of Tuscaloosa, the USGS said. A similarly strong earthquake occurred in November just half a mile away from Wednesday's epicenter.

Texas plumber's old truck resurfaces in Syria, mounted with terrorists' guns
A Texas plumber has been receiving threats after a photo emerged of Islamic extremists in Syria firing a high-powered gun from the bed of his old pickup, which still bears his company's logo on the door.

From Sydney to Rome, until Islam rules the world
As the Israeli-Arab conflict becomes more religious, solidarity with the Israeli side grows; because now the war is not against Israel – it’s against the entire Western world.

Russia not fit to be part of international financial system – Cameron
“And what the combination of the lower oil price and the sanctions are showing that I think it isn’t possible for Russia to be part of the international financial system, but try and opt out of the rules-based international legal system,” Cameron said.

Putin says Russia economy will be cured but offers no remedy
Under pressure to show he has a plan to fix the economy, Putin told an end-of-year news conference the actions of the central bank and government had been "adequate" in a crisis he blamed on external factors.

Bookies suspend betting on Queen ABDICATING as Royal Family gather for pre-Christmas lunch
Favourable odds of 10-1 were being offered on Her Majesty announcing she would step down from the throne during her speech on December 25. However, after seeing a flurry of activity, bookmakers Coral have now closed betting on a potential abdication.

Nigeria sentences soldiers to death for refusing to fight Islamists
A Nigerian military court on Wednesday sentenced 54 soldiers to death for mutiny after they refused to deploy for an operation against Boko Haram Islamists in the northeast, their lawyer said. "They sentenced 54 to death and acquitted five," said prominent human rights lawyer Femi Falana, following a court martial that began on October 15 and was conducted behind closed doors.

US-Cuba relations: Global praise for normalisation of ties
World leaders have welcomed a historic move by the US to end more than 50 years of hostility towards Cuba and restore diplomatic relations. Pope Francis joined leaders from Latin America and Europe in praising the "historic" deal which saw the release of prisoners from both countries. But dozens of dissident Cubans oppose the move, which some Republicans have labelled a "retreat" by the US.

ISIS Attacks American Base In Iraq In First Ever Clash With U.S. Troops
American troops in Iraq had their first actual battle with ISIS troops, after the Islamist militants tried to overrun a base, an encounter that left the ISIS troops decimated and in retreat. The attack took place near the Ein al-Asad base, which includes close to 100 U.S. military advisers. The U.S. troops, armed with “light and medium weapons,” and were able to inflict casualties against the ISIS fighters, forcing them to retreat, Shafaq News reported.

Opponent calls for Putin's exit as Russia slides into crisis
A prominent opponent has warned Vladimir Putin his days in power are numbered, as Russia awaits the president's response to the dramatic decline of the rouble.

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Bobby Jindal Draws Criticism Over Prayer Event Participation
Louisiana Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal has stirred up a hornet's nest, simply by making plans to kneel and pray. Jindal plans to be the headline speaker at a massive prayer rally scheduled for Jan. 24 at the Pete Maravich Center on the campus of Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge, but it's the sponsoring group of the rally that has everyone in a tizzy.

Thanks to PC western leaders, it’s Happy Hunting for the Terrorists
When terrorists look in the rear view mirror after their latest slaughterhouse jihad in any land, they clearly see the cowardice of all western leaders and plenty of opportunities in what millennials would call "wiggle room."

Nativity Scene will Remain in Franklin County, Indiana this Christmas
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.,—On the heels of their spirited hearing this morning before U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt, Thomas More Society has reached an agreement with the ACLU of Indiana that the Franklin County Nativity Scene will remain in place this Christmas. The agreement was reached on behalf of the two organizations’ respective clients-Franklin County and the Freedom from Religion .

Israel carries out airstrike on Hamas site in Gaza
JERUSALEM — Israel's military struck a Hamas site in the Gaza Strip early Saturday in its first airstrike on the Palestinian territory since this summer's war. The Israeli military said the airstrike on what it called a "Hamas terror infrastructure site" in the southern Gaza Strip was in response to a rocket fired from Gaza into southern Israel

Pope Francis’ Image Positive in Much of World
A median of 60% across 43 nations have a favorable view of the pontiff. Only 11% see the pope unfavorably, and 28% give no rating. Francis’ strongest support comes from Europe, where a median of 84% offer a favorable rating. Latin America – the pope’s home region – also gives him high marks, with 72% saying they have a positive opinion.1

Magnitude 5.7 earthquake strikes France's Guadeloupe: USGS
It said the quake's epicenter was located three miles (4.8 km)northwest of Lamentin on Basse-Terre and was 69.5 miles (111 km)deep. It struck at 3:49 p.m. (1949 GMT)

Ebola: A wake-up call for leaders
Ebola has shaken and awakened decision-makers in a way that malaria, tuberculosis and other epidemic diseases that claim millions of lives in Africa each year have failed to do, with the possible exception of HIV/AIDS.

5.5-Magnitude earthquake strikes off the coast of Japan
A 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck off Japan's coast Friday evening at 5:49 p.m. local time. There were no reports of damage or injuries at sea or inland. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the earthquake depth was measured at 19.6 miles. The epicenter was approximately 40 miles south of Nemuro and 577 miles north-northeast of Tokyo.

For North Korea's cyber army, long-term target may be telecoms, utility grids
The hacking attack on Sony Pictures may have been a practice run for North Korea's elite cyber-army in a long-term goal of being able to cripple telecoms and energy grids in rival nations, defectors from the isolated state said.

‘Cursed by God’: Far-right activist claims Liverpool FC punished for backing gay rights
His other social media posts include criticism of the BBC for being “totally unpatriotic, anti-Christian & anti-white,” worshipping “sodomy & blackness” and pushing “pro-Moslem propaganda.”

US appeals court deems gun law unconstitutional
A federal appeals court in Cincinnati deemed a law unconstitutional that kept a Michigan man who was committed to a mental institution from owning a gun.

Putin: West wants to defang, declaw Russian bear
The mixture of blistering anti-Western rhetoric and constructive signals appeared to indicate that Putin is eager to negotiate a face-saving solution to the Ukrainian crisis, but has no intention of conceding defeat in his standoff with the West.

CHANCE OF MAGNETIC STORMS TODAY
A CME is heading in the general direction of Earth, and it could deliver a glancing blow to our planet's magnetic field later today.

Iraq: ISIS murdered 150 women and underage girls for refusing sex acts
According to the report,the women were buried in large mass graves after they were killed.

China arrests American Christian aid worker near North Korea border
China arrested on Friday a Korean American Christian aid worker who was being held near the country's border with North Korea, signalling a toughening crackdown on Christian activists in the sensitive region.

Magnitude 4.3 Earthquake Strikes Off NorCal Coast
An earthquake registering a preliminary magnitude of 4.3 struck off the coast of Eureka, California, according to the U.S. Geological Survey’s automated seismograph alert network.

There They Go Again
each year the national press corps begins running columns by “religion scholars” who wish you to know that Jesus Christ is a fictional character. Mind you, no newspaper of note in the world is brave enough to run a similar story about the Prophet Mohammed.

Mexico Earthquake 2014 Today
USGS indicates to news that a 4.8 magnitude Mexico earthquake today started just minutes ago, locally 4:12 pm. The quake was deep however. Reps tell news that the quake today started roughly fifty-two miles below sea level. As a result the quake could be felt across the region.

American troops battle ISIS for first time as they see off attempted attack by militants on Iraqi base
A number of militants have been killed in Islamic State's very first battle with U.S. ground troops after the extremists attempted to overrun an Iraqi military base. The militants attacked Ein al-Asad military base on Sunday where more than 100 U.S. military support troops are based.

Yes, Virginia, there is a ‘War on Christmas’: Atheists unveil anti-Christmas TV specials
Conservatives have been mocked for insisting there’s an ongoing war on Christmas, but now it looks like they may have simply been ahead of their time. American Atheists unveiled Wednesday the “War on Christmas” line-up on its television channel, AtheistTV, featuring “original programs proclaiming the truth about Christmas on December 24 and December 25...

Islamic State Penal Code Promises Crucifixion, Lashing for Unbelievers
The Islamic State (IS) has published it own penal code, which harshly penalizes actions such as sodomy and blasphemy with punishments including execution, crucifixion, lashing, and the severing of limbs, among other penalties. IS (also known as ISIL or ISIS) issued the detailed document as a “warning and a reminder to people living under its rule” that any behavior not in accordance with strict Islamic law will be cruelly punished...

Women could join British infantry by 2016
Women could be allowed to serve in British infantry units for the first time by 2016. An Army review of the ban on women serving in close combat has concluded the change would not have an "adverse effect" on troop cohesion. But more research is needed to assess the "physiological demands", a review for the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said.

Merkel: EU strategy is to maintain Russia sanctions
Germany has warned the EU will not roll back Russia sanctions unless Vladimir Putin makes major concessions, in Europe’s first “strategic” talks on the crisis. Chancellor Angela Merkel told press at an EU summit on Thursday (18 December) that each batch of sanctions was imposed for specific reasons and can be lifted only if the reasons are no longer there.

Breaking: Gaza rocket explodes in southern Israel, no injuries
A rocket launched from the Gaza Strip exploded in open territory near the Eshkol Regional Council on Friday around noon, the IDF confirmed. The 'red alert' rocket siren was sounded in southern Israeli communities in the area, and residents reported of hearing explosions. No injuries or damage were reported.

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Castro Thanks the U.S. in a Speech but Reaffirms Communist Rule in Cuba
President Raúl Castro declared victory for the Cuban Revolution on Saturday in a wide-ranging speech, thanking President Obama for “a new chapter” while also reaffirming that restored relations with the United States did not mean the end of Communist rule in Cuba.

Ebola death toll in three African countries hits 7,373: WHO
The death toll from Ebola in the three worst-affected countries in West Africa has risen to 7,373 among 19,031 cases known to date there, the World Health Organization said on Saturday.

French police kill 'Allahu Akbar' attacker
French police shot dead a knife-wielding man who attacked three officers in a police station while shouting "Allahu Akbar" ("God is great").

Four Guantanamo inmates sent home to Afghanistan
Four Afghan prisoners in Guantanamo Bay have been sent back to their home country, the Pentagon says. Shawali Khan, Khi Ali Gul, Abdul Ghani and Mohammed Zahir were repatriated after a review of their cases. Eight Afghans are believed to be among the 132 detainees remaining at the US prison in Cuba.

2 NYPD officers shot, killed in ambush on cop car
Two NYPD officers were killed Saturday in Brooklyn as they sat in their squad car by a gunman who reportedly threatened to shoot police hours earlier on Instagram. The gunman, a 28-year-old with a criminal record who police believe may have been acting in revenge for the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, killed himself moments later in a subway station. The incident left the nation's largest police department stunned, and is sure to further inflame tensions between police and Mayor Bill de Blasio, who police had already said was unwelcome at police funerals because of his perceived support for anti-police protesters

Putin says Russia won't be intimidated over Crimea
Russia will not be intimidated over its actions in Ukraine and Crimea, President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday as his foreign ministry warned that it was preparing to retaliate against fresh Western sanctions.

IS has executed 100 foreigners trying to quit: report
The Islamic State extremist group has executed 100 of its own foreign fighters who tried to flee their headquarters in the Syrian city of Raqqa, the Financial Times newspaper said Saturday.

X-FLARE!
Big sunspot AR2242 erupted on Saturday, Dec. 20th @ 00:27 UT, producing an intense X1.8-class solar flare. Radio emissions from shock waves rippling through the sun's atmosphere suggest that a CME is en route. However, we are still waiting for data from SOHO coronagraphs to confirm the existence and trajectory of a massive storm cloud. If a CME is coming, it will probably take 2 to 3 days to reach Earth.

The reason oil could drop as low as $20 per barrel
Low oil prices will last long enough for one of two events to happen. The first possibility, the one most traders and analysts seem to expect, is that Saudi Arabia will re-establish OPEC’s monopoly power once it achieves the true geopolitical or economic objectives that spurred it to trigger the slump

New species found in the deepest trench on Earth
a new found species and is now the deepest recorded fish at 8,143 m. The fish has a novel body form that has not been seen before. It stunned scientists because in other trenches, there is only one fish species at this depth -- a snailfish; this fish is really different from any other deep-sea fish that scientists have ever seen.

Iraq's Shiite fighters desert over shortages
Abu Murtada al-Moussawi answered the call last summer from Iraq's top Shiite cleric to help save the country from the Islamic State group, but after less than three months on the front lines he and several friends returned home because they had run out of food.

Magnitude 5.9 earthquake hits Japan's Honshu island: USGS
A 5.9 magnitude earthquake hit Japan's Honshu island on Saturday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, shaking ********* where crippled nuclear power plants are located, but local media said there was no tsunami warning.

Barack Obama on collision course with Republicans in Congress over Keystone pipeline
President Barack Obama has set himself on an immediate collision course with the new Republican-run Congress over calls for the construction of a contentious oil pipeline. The incoming Republican leaders in the Senate plan to pass legislation authorising the Keystone XL pipeline as soon as they assume control in January, arguing that the project will help the economy and deliver jobs.

Fewer US-Born Americans Have Jobs Now Than In 2007
Fewer Americans born in the U.S. have jobs now than were employed to November 2007, despite a working-age population growth of 11 million. The amazing drop in employment highlights President Barack Obama’s slow recovery from the deep 2008 shock, but also spotlights many companies’ growing reliance on foreign migrant labor.

UN asks Israel to pay Lebanon $850m over oil spill
The UN General Assembly has passed a resolution asking Israel to pay Lebanon more than $850m (£544m) for a major oil spill during Israel's 2006 war with Hezbollah. The UN has asked Israel to compensate Lebanon before but this is the first time a figure has been given. The assembly voted overwhelmingly in favour by 170 votes to six, but its resolutions are not legally binding.

Belarus imposes duty on foreign currency purchases
Belarus's central bank has introduced a 30% duty on all purchases of foreign currency to try to protect its rouble. Belarusian exporters will also be required to convert more of their overseas earnings into local currency. The country is feeling the effects of the fall in the value of the Russian rouble, which reached new lows against the dollar this week.

US imposes new Russia sanctions ahead of Ukraine peace talks
The United States imposed sanctions Friday on Russian-controlled Crimea as Ukraine announced the loss of five soldiers ahead of peace talks meant to end a war against Russian-backed insurgents.

Obama vows U.S. response to North Korea over Sony cyber attack
President Barack Obama vowed on Friday to respond to a devastating cyber attack on Sony Pictures that he blamed on North Korea, and scolded the Hollywood studio for caving in to what he described as a foreign dictator imposing censorship in America.

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Ya'alon: Herzog and Livni would turn West Bank into 'Hamastan'
Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon on Sunday blasted opposition leader Isaac Herzog and former Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, saying the West Bank would have turned into a "Hamastan" if the two had been running Israel over the last few years.

Syria says Israeli drone downed in Quneitra
Syria said on Sunday that an Israeli drone had been brought down in the province of Quneitra near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. State media said the drone was flying above the village of Hadar when it was downed. It was not immediately clear whether it had been shot down or had crashed.

New York gunman told public 'watch what I'm going to do'
The man who shot dead two New York police officers told members of the public "watch what I'm going to do" shortly before the attack, police say. Ismaaiyl Brinsley, 28, had a history of violence and mental instability.

North Korea: 1.2 Million Troops, Nukes and a 3,000-Strong Cyber-Elite
North Korea’s alleged ability to hack into Sony Pictures Entertainment is extending Kim Jong Un’sreach far beyond the range of his missiles. While North Korea has kept Western defense officials guessing for years about a nuclear program that it may or may not ever use, the regime’s ability to wage cyber war adds a new dimension to its standing abroad.

A fragile calm on Gaza and Lebanon borders
Op-ed: Beyond the obvious need for intelligence surveillance of Hamas and Hezbollah, there are other things Israel can do on both fronts before finding itself in the circle of fire again.

20 jihadists killed in failed east Syria airport attack
At least 20 Islamist State (IS) group members were killed in the second failed jihadist bid in a month to take over an air base in eastern Syria, a monitoring group said Sunday.

N. Korea threatens strikes on US amid hacking claims
President Barack Obama is "recklessly" spreading rumors of a Pyongyang-orchestrated cyberattack of Sony Pictures, North Korea says, as it warns of strikes against the White House, Pentagon and "the whole U.S. mainland, that cesspool of terrorism."

Obama, de Blasio blasted over NYPD cop slayings President, mayor criticized for 'antipolice' rhetoric
Former New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly placed the blame on New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio for fanning the flames of antipolice anger during the protests earlier this month.

Satanic Temple puts up display at Michigan Capitol
The Detroit chapter of the Satanic Temple set up its "Snaketivity Scene" featuring a snake offering a book called "Revolt of the Angels" as a gift. The snake is wrapped around the Satanic cross on the 3-feet-by-3-feet display. Capitol rules require that displays have to be taken down each night.

Official: Russia plotting to start war on Israel
Russia is preparing a contingency plan to prompt Hezbollah and possibly the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad into a direct military conflict with Israel, according to a French official who has been apprised of the situation.

Five earthquakes off B.C. coast since Saturday afternoon
Five earthquakes have been detected off the B.C. coast, between Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii, since Saturday afternoon. All five quakes have measured at least 4.0 magnitude. Four of the five have been at a depth of 10 km or so, the exception being at 22 kilometres below the Earth's surface.

Moderate earthquake in Guwahati
A moderate earthquake of magnitude 5 on the Richter Scale shook Guwahati and its neighbouring areas this morning, a Met office report said here.

Strong earthquake hits Indonesia; no tsunami expected
The magnitude-6.6 quake was centred 157 kilometres (98 miles) west of the town of Tobelo, which is on the island of Halmahera, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The quake had a depth of 55 kilometres (34 miles).

Hawkish Russian Emissary to Visit Cuba’s Leaders
Just days after President Obama announced a historic thaw in relations ...one of Russia’s most hawkish emissaries was set to arrive in Havana on Friday to meet with Cuba’s leadership. The emissary, Dmitri O. Rogozin, the outspoken deputy prime minister...had already panned the United States’ supposed change of heart toward Cuba as just a calculated change in tactics.

Iran has know-how to build nukes, senior cleric claims
A leading Iranian cleric claimed that Iran has the technical knowledge to develop a nuclear weapon, but that it chooses not to because it is religiously forbidden. Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami told Iranian military personnel that the Islamic republic had the means to enrich uranium to levels needed for nuclear weapons, the Guardian reported, citing an official Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp website.

Elevating US-Israel alliance, Obama hails his role
Israel is now officially a strategic partner of the United States, a classification held by no other nation, according to a bill signed into law by US President Barack Obama on Friday. The United States-Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2014 took more than a year to draft in Congress, and became an omnibus bill for the US-Israel relationship, reinforcing cooperation across industries with a focus on defense.

Netanyahu: We will not ignore even one rocket from Gaza
Israel's safety is the number one priority, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday, regarding a rocket from Gaza that landed in Israel on Friday and an IAF attack on a Hamas cement factory on Saturday in response.

Russian Nuclear Bombers Again Buzz Guam
Russian strategic bombers conducted a third circumnavigation of the U.S. Pacific island of Guam last week as other bombers flew close to Alaska and Europe, defense officials said.

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ISIS Threat Prompts Israel To Boost Border Defences, ISIS and Al-Nusra Planning 'Black Winter' in Lebanon
As ISIS continues to attract more supporters to its cause, Israel is reportedly strengthening its military forces in Golan Heights to counter the growing threat of the terror group expanding its territory. A senior official in the Israeli army has revealed government forces are currently regrouping along the border areas of Israel.

The Palestinian Bid at the Security Council: International and Domestic Ramifications for Israel
The decision by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to seek a UN Security Council resolution that would recognize a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and would require Israel’s withdrawal from the territories by the end of 2017 has forced many countries, in the Middle East and around the world, to revisit the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and restore the issue yet again to the front burner.

Battered NY mayor calls for temporary protest halt
As the New York Police Department mourns two of its own, Mayor Bill de Blasio pleaded for a pause in protests and rancor amid a widening rift with those in a grieving force who accuse him of creating a climate of mistrust that contributed to the executions of two officers.

Harvard Capitulates to Anti-Semitism
As a Harvard graduate, class of 1974, I am thoroughly disgusted by the Harvard Administration’s cowardly capitulation to the anti-Israel BDS (boycott, divestment, sanction) movement on campus. As reported recently by the Harvard Crimson (Harvard’s daily student-run newspaper), since April 2014, Harvard University Dining Services (HUDS) stopped purchasing SodaStream machines (do-it-yourself soda and water machines which are owned and manufactured by an Israeli-based company).

At U.N. council, U.S. calls life in North Korea 'living nightmare'
UNITED NATIONS - The United States and other Western members of the U.N. Security Council on Monday slammed North Korea's human rights record after voting to overrule China's objections and add alleged grave abuses by the hermit state to the council's agenda.

Bombs in north Nigeria bus station, market kill 27
ABUJA/MAIDUGURI, Nigeria - Two bomb attacks at a bus station and a market in north Nigeria on Monday killed at least 27 people and wounded around 60, officials said.

Obama's popularity falls to record low among US troops. Why?
If President Obama's approval ratings have slipped with the general population, they have plummeted to record lows within one segment of the population: the US military.

22 Dec 14

Giuliani: Anti-Police 'Propaganda' Led to NY Police 'Assassinations'
"We have not had an assassination murder like this in a long, long time. And it's certainly true that we have been treated to about three to four months of propaganda about how the police are the enemy. If you hear what people were saying at the rallies, kill the police, destroy the police, there was a lot more violence at the rallies in New York than was ever reported by any of the stations," said Giuliani.

‘Yazidi women dragged by their hair, sold into sex slavery by ISIS for $25’
Amnesty International believes that the number of females who were forced into sexual slavery may exceed 1,000.

Mike Rogers rips Obama on North Korea attack; ‘Saying aloha … going to Hawaii is not the answer’
Rep. Mike Rogers, Michigan Republican and chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said the president should have shown stronger leadership in the wake of the attack, which led to the cancelation of Sony Pictures’ planned Dec. 25 release of the movie “The Interview” amid terrorist threats.

When the American President Hates America
The Obamas see the United States as a corrupt and bullying power that needs to be humbled. No one seeks to fundamentally transform something they love. And let us now consider that fundamental transformation.

Five powerful earthquakes rattle B.C., edges of the Pacific plate over the weekend
A series of five strong earthquakes rattled coastal B.C. this weekend.. The B.C. quakes measured from 4.0 to 5.1 in magnitude and were centred offshore between Haida Gwaii and Vancouver Island.. according to the U.S. Geological Survey. In all, 15 earthquakes measuring above 4.0 were detected from about 3 p.m. Saturday to 5 p.m. Sunday at spots around the perimeter of the Pacific Plate,

Official: Russia plotting to start war on Israel
Russia is preparing a contingency plan to prompt Hezbollah and possibly the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad into a direct military conflict with Israel, according to a French official who has been apprised of the situation.

Satanist group mounts Capitol display to little fanfare
Visitors to the Capitol can now can view two interpretations of the Christmas season. The Detroit chapter of the Satanic Temple set up its "Snaketivity Scene," which features a snake offering a book called "Revolt of the Angels" as a symbolic gift, just after 7 a.m. this morning. The snake is wrapped around the Satanic cross on the 3-feet-by-3-feet display.

Flu outbreak spreading rapidly in U.S.
Flu season is picking up steam just in time to ruin a lot of people's holidays. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports widespread flu activity in 29 states, primarily in the South and Midwest. That's twice as many states as the previous week. Most of the patients who have been hospitalized with severe cases of the flu are either very young or the very old.

Obamacare’s Christmas surprise
If you like your health care plan, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has a Christmas surprise for you! When will this new present arrive? December 25th. ...CMS has proposed a new rule that includes an overly reaching provision allowing CMS to re-enroll anyone who has not made the annual trek back to healthcare.gov in a cheaper plan of CMS’ choosing.

NHS DNA scheme to fight cancer and genetic diseases
A new genetics project could help "unlock a series of secrets about devastating diseases", the NHS says. Under the scheme, 11 Genomics Medicine Centres are being set up in English hospitals to gather DNA samples to help devise targeted treatments for a wide range of diseases. It is focusing on cancer and rare genetic diseases.

Sinjar battle: Kurds 'take control' of large area from IS
Kurdish authorities say their Peshmerga forces have taken control of a "large area" of the Iraqi town of Sinjar from Islamic State militants. Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani claimed large Peshmerga advances during a visit to nearby Mount Sinjar. The town, near the Syrian border has been controlled by Islamic State (IS) militants since August.

'Nations talk, but cities act' on green policies
The European Union recently agreed to reduce its carbon emissions by at least 40 percent in 2030, a target its leaders hailed as ambitious. But individual cities are going much further. By the time the EU has reached its climate target, Copenhagen, as one of the most green conscious EU capitals, hopes to have put worrying about carbon emissions behind it.

Hamas conducts rocket tests in Gaza, drawing the attention of the Israeli military
The IDF said it detected rocket experiments in the Gaza Strip on Monday. During the experiments, Hamas fired rockets from Gaza towards the Mediterranean Sea. Hamas fires rockets into the sea every few days, as part of its weapons program. The launches are used by Hamas arms designers to experiment with various projectile models.

Ya'alon: Herzog and Livni would turn West Bank into 'Hamastan'
Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon on Sunday blasted opposition leader Isaac Herzog and former Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, saying the West Bank would have turned into a "Hamastan" if the two had been running Israel over the last few years.

Syria says Israeli drone downed in Quneitra
Syria said on Sunday that an Israeli drone had been brought down in the province of Quneitra near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. State media said the drone was flying above the village of Hadar when it was downed. It was not immediately clear whether it had been shot down or had crashed.

New York gunman told public 'watch what I'm going to do'
The man who shot dead two New York police officers told members of the public "watch what I'm going to do" shortly before the attack, police say. Ismaaiyl Brinsley, 28, had a history of violence and mental instability.

North Korea: 1.2 Million Troops, Nukes and a 3,000-Strong Cyber-Elite
North Korea’s alleged ability to hack into Sony Pictures Entertainment is extending Kim Jong Un’sreach far beyond the range of his missiles. While North Korea has kept Western defense officials guessing for years about a nuclear program that it may or may not ever use, the regime’s ability to wage cyber war adds a new dimension to its standing abroad.

A fragile calm on Gaza and Lebanon borders
Op-ed: Beyond the obvious need for intelligence surveillance of Hamas and Hezbollah, there are other things Israel can do on both fronts before finding itself in the circle of fire again.

20 jihadists killed in failed east Syria airport attack
At least 20 Islamist State (IS) group members were killed in the second failed jihadist bid in a month to take over an air base in eastern Syria, a monitoring group said Sunday.

N. Korea threatens strikes on US amid hacking claims
President Barack Obama is "recklessly" spreading rumors of a Pyongyang-orchestrated cyberattack of Sony Pictures, North Korea says, as it warns of strikes against the White House, Pentagon and "the whole U.S. mainland, that cesspool of terrorism."

Obama, de Blasio blasted over NYPD cop slayings President, mayor criticized for 'antipolice' rhetoric
Former New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly placed the blame on New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio for fanning the flames of antipolice anger during the protests earlier this month.

Satanic Temple puts up display at Michigan Capitol
The Detroit chapter of the Satanic Temple set up its "Snaketivity Scene" featuring a snake offering a book called "Revolt of the Angels" as a gift. The snake is wrapped around the Satanic cross on the 3-feet-by-3-feet display. Capitol rules require that displays have to be taken down each night.

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US moves to allow blood donations from gay men
Federal health officials are recommending an end to the nation’s lifetime ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men, a 31-year-old policy that many medical groups and gay activists say is no longer justified.

Worse than Islamic State? Concerns rise about Iraq's Shiite militias
A former aide to General David Petraeus warns that as the Pentagon prepares to send another 1,500 US troops to Iraq to help “destroy” the Islamic State fighters, there may be an even greater danger that forces face: Iranian-backed Shiite militias.

Tornadoes blamed for four deaths, major damage in Mississippi
Tornadoes unleashed by thunderstorms along the Gulf Coast ripped through southeastern Mississippi on Tuesday, killing at least four people, injuring numerous others and causing extensive damage to homes and businesses, authorities said.

It’s official: IRS employees biased against conservatives
One IRS employee called a conservative group “icky” while another griped that they would probably “have to” approve a different group’s application for nonprofit status, according to the latest findings Tuesday by the House Oversight Committee.

NY protesters reject plea for hiatus despite police slayings
Mayor Bill de Blasio's attempts to soothe a city dismayed by the slaying of two officers were further rebuffed on Tuesday as protesters defied his call to suspend what have become regular demonstrations over excessive police force.

Doomed UN Bid Shows Abbas’s Struggle as Hamas Gains Support
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s dwindling domestic support may be the real reason behind his latest venture abroad. The 79-year-old leader is pressing ahead with a push at the United Nations to set an end-2017 deadline for Palestinian statehood even as the U.S. threatens to block the measure. At home, polls show him trailing the Hamas chief in the Gaza Strip. They also indicate Palestinians think Hamas’s armed militancy is more effective than the peace talks he’s held.

Iraqi Yazidi girls abducted by IS endured horror
Women and girls from Iraq's Yazidi minority endured horrors at the hands of Islamic State group extremists after they were taken as slaves last summer, leaving them deeply traumatized, an international watchdog group said in a report issued on Tuesday.

BBC director Danny Cohen: Rising UK antisemitism makes me feel more uncomfortable than ever
The director of television at the BBC has said he has “never felt so uncomfortable as a Jew in the UK” as it was revealed that antisemitic incidents in Britain hit record annual levels in 2014.

BREAKING: Protesters Ignore Mayor De Blasio & Families of Slain Officers & March on 5th Avenue
On Tuesday the protesters were back on the street. They are marching to 5th Avenue and promise to “shut it down.”

Sharyl Attkisson: CDC Is Tracking 1,400 Possible Ebola Cases in US Today
media coverage of Ebola vanished after the White House appointed a far left hack with expertise in revolutionary politics as Ebola czar.....the CDC is hiding suspected cases from the American public.

Abbas says to cut ties with Israel if UN move fails
Algiers - Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas warned on Tuesday that his administration would "no longer deal" with Israel if a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a final peace deal fails.

FBI warns of Islamic State threat to Mississippi River bridge
WASHINGTON - The FBI has warned local authorities of a threat that Islamic State militants would blow up the Memphis & Arkansas Bridge spanning the Mississippi River, an agency spokesman said on Tuesday.

ISIS Closing in on Israel from the North and the South
The war against ISIS is taking a dangerous, perhaps inevitable turn. The terror organization has been keen to expand to southern Syria and the Syrian capital of Damascus. Now it says it has recruited three Syrian rebel groups operating in the south of the country in an area bordering the Israeli occupied Golan Heights — that have switched their loyalties to ISIS.

Ukraine votes to drop non-aligned status
Ukraine's parliament has voted to drop the country's non-aligned status and work towards Nato membership.

New EPA Regs Issued Under Obama Are 43 Times as Long as Bible
Since President Barack Obama took office on Jan. 20, 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued 3,120 new final regulations, equaling 27,854 pages in the Federal Register, totaling approximately 27,854,000 words.

Meet the Transhumanist Party: 'Want to live forever? Vote for me'
Transhumanists, broadly speaking, are people who want us to become "beyond human". It’s an umbrella term for a broad family of ideas united by the vision that technology now, or at least soon will, allow us to greatly enhance human intellectual, physical, and psychological capacities. That means everything from bionic limbs to 3D printing organs to uploading our entire brains on to memory sticks and carrying them around with us as back up.

Report: Islamic State is turning churches into torture chambers in Iraq and Syria
the militants have converted the ransacked churches in Qaraqosh into torture chambers for local Christians. The members of the Islamic State who now run the churches are holding the Christians prisoner and forcing them to convert to Islam. IS has made clear that they intend to destroy any religious group that does not agree with their interpretation of Islam.

Obama literally spanked in brand-new images
Most of the caricatures depict Putin in a positive light, as a strong, savvy, global chess master, while Obama appears to be a dishonest, political midget who is weak, tuckered out and even harms the environment.

2014 sees 7% increase in North American aliyah
Immigration to Israel from North America increased 7% in 2014 from the previous year, with 3,762 olim from the United States and Canada, compared to 3,504 olim in 2013, according to figures released by the Nefesh B’Nefesh organization. A 6% growth in aliyah from the United Kingdom was recorded during the same period.

Seventh Earthquake Reported off BC Coast
A seventh earthquake has been reported by Natural Resources Canada, this just the latest in a series of shakers to take place over the past two days.

Pope says Vatican is 'sick' with power in Curia address
Pope Francis criticised the Vatican bureaucracy on Monday in a pre-Christmas address, complaining of 15 "ailments" that he wanted cured in the New Year. Pope Francis said the Curia – the administrative body of the Roman Catholic church – was suffering from "spiritual Alzheimer's" which has made them forget that they are supposed to be joyful men of God.

Anti-Islam 'Pegida' rally in Dresden sees record turnout
A record 17,500 people have turned out for the latest "anti-Islamisation" rally in the German city of Dresden, according to police estimates. Demonstrators sang Christmas carols and listened to speeches about immigrants and asylum seekers. Weekly rallies by a group called Patriotic Europeans against the Islamisation of the West, or Pegida, began in October.

Australia PM Abbott warns of 'heightened terror chatter'
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott says there has been a "heightened level of terror chatter" since the siege at a Sydney cafe last week. Mr Abbott said the National Security Committee had met to discuss the development on Tuesday. However, the terrorist threat level would remain at "high" and not be raised to "extreme", he added.

Economic growth revised down to 2.6%
The UK economy has grown more slowly in the past year than previously thought, official figures indicate. Revised figures show gross domestic product (GDP) in the third quarter of this year was 2.6% higher than in the same period last year, down from an earlier estimate of 3%. The Office for National Statistics confirmed that the UK's GDP grew by 0.7% in the third quarter of the year.

China ignores EU, offers to help Russia
China has joined India in helping the Russian economy, but closer to home Belarus and Kazakhstan are hedging their bets on future relations. Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said in China Daily, a state mouthpiece, on Monday (22 December): “Russia has the capability and the wisdom to overcome the existing hardship in the economic situation. If the Russian side needs, we will provide necessary assistance within our capacity”.

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Silent Night: The Story of the World War I Christmas Truce of 1914
On a crisp, clear morning 100 years ago, thousands of British, Belgian and French soldiers put down their rifles, stepped out of their trenches and spent Christmas mingling with their German enemies along the Western front.

CDC reports potential Ebola exposure in Atlanta lab
Researchers studying Ebola in a highly secure laboratory mistakenly allowed potentially lethal samples of the virus to be handled in a much less secure laboratory at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, agency officials said Wednesday.

China tightens church control ahead of Christmas
Two days before Christmas, members of a rural Christian congregation in the eastern city of Wenzhou welded some pieces of metal into a cross and hoisted it onto the top of their worship hall to replace one that was forcibly removed in October. Within an hour, township officials and uniformed men barged onto the church ground and tore down the cross.

Israel strikes Gaza, killing militant after soldier shot
Israel launched an air strike in southern Gaza on Wednesday and killed a Hamas militant after a sniper attack on a patrol seriously wounded a soldier, the army and medics said.

Likud comptroller disqualifies Netanyahu from Likud leadership race; PM likely to appeal
Likud’s comptroller, disqualified Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for running for the party leadership in the December 31 primary, a move that Netanyahu disputes and is likely to appeal.

Scientists try to decipher Idaho earthquake swarms
The latest earthquake swarm in central Idaho could help scientists better understand quake belts extending from Yellowstone National Park. The most recent swarm in the Challis area started this week and so far 20 quakes have been recorded, the largest a 3.7 magnitude on Monday.

Black Conservatives Slam Obama's 'Better Off' Comments
President Barack Obama said recently that African Americans were better off now than when he took office six years ago, but many black conservatives disputed that to Newsmax — citing such widespread ills a high unemployment, poor education levels and spiraling gun violence in the nation's inner cities. "Here we are again with our president clearly demonstrating his severe disconnect with blacks in America, as he has ginned up racial hatred and … completely ignoring the fact that he's the first black president and holds a historic role that is intended to mend and rebuild America's fractured racial history," said Stacy Washington, a radio talk-show host in St. Louis.

The Russian and Iranian Missile Threats: Implications for NATO Missile Defense
As tensions rise over Ukraine, NATO is making preparations for the deployments of a ballistic missile defense (BMD) system in Romania in 2015 and in Poland in 2018. The United States and NATO claim that the missile defense shield is not directed at Russia, but is designed to deal with the dual threat of ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction emanating from the Middle East.

U.S. South menaced by storms as Mississippi cleans up from tornadoes
JACKSON, Miss. - Severe thunderstorms menaced the U.S. Southeast on Wednesday, with a small tornado and flooding reported in parts of North Carolina, while emergency workers in Mississippi surveyed damage from tornadoes that killed at least four people and injured 20.

Expats eyeing the exits after Russian ruble plunges
Moscow - The plunge of the ruble hasn't left only Russians shell shocked -- foreign workers from traders to maids are considering bailing out as Moscow turns from an El Dorado into a financial black hole.

Ebola Epidemic Continues in Africa, Despite Progress in Some Places
The Ebola epidemic in West Africa has undergone a dramatic change in the past several months, U.S. health officials said today

Ten Commandments Judge: City ‘Foolish’ for Allowing Atheist, Wiccan Prayers at Council Meetings
Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore, is reprimanding the city of Huntsville for its prayer policy at city council meetings, which allows for atheists and Wiccans to lead the invocation.

Russia says NATO turning Ukraine into 'frontline of confrontation'
Russia said on Wednesday NATO was turning Ukraine into a "frontline of confrontation" and threatened to sever remaining ties with the Atlantic military alliance if Ukraine's hopes of joining it were realized.

Nun pleads for Christians raped, sold, killed by ISIS
ISIS is nothing new, she said, just the re-emergence of Islam’s dark side. “ISIS is not fanatic. ISIS is not more terrible. ISIS is real Muslim believers who like to follow the Quran and Muhammad,” said the founder of Warburg, Germany-based Sister Hatune Foundation,

Woman arrested after damaging Satanic display at Florida Capitol
"It's just wrong, when you remove baby Jesus two days before Christmas and put Satan in his place — that just can't happen. I couldn't allow it to happen,"

Tense Standoff After Police Shoot Teen Near Michael Brown Scene
An 18-year-old black man was shot and killed by police late on Tuesday at a gas station in a St. Louis suburb...

South Korea steps up cyber security at nuclear plants
South Korea boosted cyber security at the country's nuclear power plants on Tuesday following...a series "grave" data leaks, and prosecutors said they were investigating a new online threat. Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co Ltd (KHNP), which runs South Korea's 23 nuclear power reactors, said on Monday its computer systems had been hacked, raising alarm in a country that is still technically at war with North Korea.

Sliding oil prices leave socialist Venezuela on brink of financial collapse
The ongoing plunge in global oil prices is pushing Venezuela toward economic collapse just as President Nicolas Maduro — the hand-picked successor to the late socialist Hugo Chavez — faces mounting international criticism for jailing opposition figures after months of street protests.

From Baltic to Asia, East-West aerial confrontations heat up
From the skies of the Baltic to the South China Sea, a new era of confrontation with Russia and China is pitting U.S. and allied pilots against their counterparts on a scale not seen since the Cold War era. It is, current and former officials say, a major shift for air crews who by and large have spent more than a decade flying largely uncontested missions over Afghanistan and Iraq.

French jobless total at new record high
The number of people seeking work in France has risen to a record high, official figures show. The jobless total rose by 27,400 in November to 3,488,300 - the highest level yet seen. That means the number looking for a job has risen by 5.8% in the past year.

Ukraine conflict: Minsk peace talks due after Nato vote
Warring parties in eastern Ukraine are set to meet in Belarus, a day after Ukraine's parliament voted to work towards membership of Nato. The talks in Minsk - involving pro-Moscow rebels, Ukraine, international monitors and Russia - are likely to focus on troop withdrawals and aid. A ceasefire and framework peace deal were agreed in Minsk in September but neither has been properly observed.

Ebola crisis likely to last a year, says expert
West Africa's Ebola crisis is likely to last until the end of 2015, says a leading researcher who helped to discover the virus. Peter Piot, who has just returned from Sierra Leone, told the BBC that he was encouraged by progress there and by the promise of new anti-viral therapies. But he also warned that vaccines would take time to develop.

Sources: Qatar and Egypt officials discuss reconciliation to end 18-month standoff
Egyptian and Qatari intelligence officials met in Cairo to discuss a possible reconciliation as part of Saudi efforts to broker an end to the 18-month standoff over Doha's support of the Muslim Brotherhood, security sources said. They said Qatar's intelligence chief, Ahmed Nasser Bin Jassim al-Thani, discussed plans for a meeting between the Egyptian and Qatari heads of state in Riyadh next month.

ISIS shoots down coalition warplane over Syria, captures Jordanian pilot
Islamic State fighters took a Jordanian pilot captive after his warplane was downed in northeastern Syria on Wednesday, the first captive taken from the US-led coalition battling the jihadi group. Jordan's armed forces said one of its pilots had been captured after his plane fell during an air raid over the northeastern Syrian province of Raqqa on Wednesday.

Six quakes strike west of Island
While many residents are occupied with holiday shopping and socializing this week, a scientist with the Geological Survey of Canada advises the Alberni Valley to be prepared following six earthquakes struck off the west coast of Vancouver Island over the weekend.

Magnitude-4 quake shakes Christchurch
A moderate earthquake has shaken Christchurch on Christmas Eve. The 4.0-magnitude tremor struck at 7.43pm on Wednesday 10 kilometres east of the city.

Earthquake Rattles Challis Idaho
Custer County officials in central Idaho say there’s no damage from an earthquake that shook the area Monday morning.

US moves to allow blood donations from gay men
Federal health officials are recommending an end to the nation’s lifetime ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men, a 31-year-old policy that many medical groups and gay activists say is no longer justified.

Worse than Islamic State? Concerns rise about Iraq's Shiite militias
A former aide to General David Petraeus warns that as the Pentagon prepares to send another 1,500 US troops to Iraq to help “destroy” the Islamic State fighters, there may be an even greater danger that forces face: Iranian-backed Shiite militias.

Tornadoes blamed for four deaths, major damage in Mississippi
Tornadoes unleashed by thunderstorms along the Gulf Coast ripped through southeastern Mississippi on Tuesday, killing at least four people, injuring numerous others and causing extensive damage to homes and businesses, authorities said.

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Lebanon's Hezbollah detains 'Israeli spy' in its ranks
Lebanon's Hezbollah has detained a senior party official it accused of spying for Israel and "sabotaging security operations" abroad, a source close to the movement said on Thursday.

Father asks Islamic State to treat captured pilot son as 'guest'
The father of a Jordanian pilot captured by Islamic State fighters after his plane crashed in Syria said he did not consider his son a hostage and called on his captors to treat him as a "guest".

Russia says Kiev's move to join NATO dangerous for Europe
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Ukraine's pursuit of NATO membership posed a danger to European security and that the West was using Kiev's bid to join the Atlantic alliance as a way to fuel confrontation between Russia and Ukraine.

Israeli girl seriously wounded in WBank firebomb attack
An Israeli man and his 11-year-old daughter were wounded Thursday when assailants threw a firebomb at their vehicle in the northern West Bank, the army said. A military spokeswoman told AFP the assailants, believed to be Palestinians, threw a Molotov cocktail at the car near the Maale Shomron settlement.

Dozens of jihadists killed fighting Syria Kurds: monitor
At least 44 members of the Islamic State group were killed in clashes with Kurdish forces in Syria on Thursday, a monitoring group said. Thirty of the jihadists were killed fighting against members of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in the village of Qassiab in Hasakeh province, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

PlayStation Network, Xbox Live offline due to attacks
Online game networks Xbox Live and PlayStation Network have been offline much of Christmas Day in an apparent DDos (distributed denial of service) attack. It caps off a rough holiday season for Sony, which saw its Sony Pictures subsidiary hit by a cyber-attack last month over the upcoming release of The Interview. A hacker group called the Guardians of Peace threatened a 9/11 type attack on theaters if the movie was shown.

Did NFL star really call Obama 'dictator' on national TV?
“Watch for Peyton to speak to the nation, as the president of the United States would speak to the nation tonight,” said Young, now an ESPN analyst. “And tell them, ‘I am the dictator! I am the one that’s gonna take care of everything.”

CDC reports potential Ebola exposure in Atlanta lab
Researchers studying Ebola in a highly secure laboratory mistakenly allowed potentially lethal samples of the virus to be handled in a much less secure laboratory at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, agency officials said Wednesday.

Travelers to Guangdong cautioned over H5N6 bird flu
Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control cautioned travelers to Guangdong province in southern China to pay attention to personal hygiene after the coastal region recorded the world's second confirmed human infection of the H5N6 avian flu. A 58-year-old patient in Guangdong is in critical condition after contracting the disease, the CDC said...

Baghdad's Christians gather defiantly for Christmas Eve mass
Baghdad’s embattled Christian community worshipped defiantly Wednesday night at Christmas Eve mass. The congregation sang in unison: “Praise Jesus, our Lord. Oh praise him” as incense burnt in the darkened church.

Pakistan agrees on new antiterrorism plan, pledges to 'eradicate Taliban'
Pakistan’s leadership overnight agreed on a comprehensive antiterrorism action plan. They will revamp the criminal system, crackdown on terrorist hideouts, communications and sources of income, and establish a 5,000-strong counter-terrorism force. The nation is still reeling from the terrorist attack on a Peshawar school on December 16, which claimed 149 lives, 133 of them children.

ISIS ‘launches new chlorine gas attack’ in Iraq’s Anbar – report
Islamic State militants have reportedly shelled a city in the western Iraqi province of Anbar with chlorine gas-imbued missiles, media reports citing security sources say. The attack is said to have targeted a district with trapped and starving civilians.

CDC monitoring technician for possible Ebola exposure
CDC spokeswoman Barbara Reynolds says in an emailed statement Wednesday that the person working in a secure laboratory in Atlanta may have come into contact with a small amount of a live virus that was part of an Ebola experiment.

Obama's Spiritual Adviser: His Christian Faith Has Only Deepened
Obama turns to several progressive and activist theologians for spiritual succor. These include DuBois, a Pentecostal minister as well as pastors Joel Hunter, Jim Wallis, and 90 year-old Joseph Lowery, founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, according to Politico.

GEOMAGNETIC UNREST
A fast stream of solar wind is buffeting Earth's magnetic field, prompting NOAA forecasters to raise the odds of a polar geomagnetic storm today to 35%.

Think it's just Putin who runs Russia? Guess again
What do a shadowy oil czar, a deeply religious railway boss and a billionaire judo enthusiast have in common? They form most of what experts believe to be Vladimir Putin's inner circle—a coterie of old allies and confidants that defines the country's trademark system of crony capitalism.

‘Israelis, Palestinians increasingly negative about two-state solution’
According to the findings, following the summer’s conflict, 50 percent of Israelis and 38% of Palestinians support a permanent settlement package along the Clinton parameters and the Geneva Initiative, which includes a divided Jerusalem and territorial swaps for a final border agreement.

Police confiscate powerful explosive device, thwarting underworld criminal hit
Police said that the suspects planned to use the explosive as part of the struggle between underworld crime families in Ashdod.

Ten-year-old boy mutilated and sacrificed in witchcraft ceremony...
A 10-year-old boy was mutilated and sacrificed in a witchcraft ceremony, police have reportedly said. An Indian worker is alleged to have told officers that he murder the boy, identified as Pranshu, a third year standard student, in a bid to help his wife become pregnant, the Times of India said.

Ebola crisis: Sierra Leone declares three-day lockdown in north
Sierra Leone has declared lockdown of at least three days in the north of the country to try to contain the Ebola epidemic. Shops, markets and non-Ebola related travel services will be shut down, officials said. Sierra Leone has already banned many public Christmas celebrations.

US lab worker monitored for Ebola
A US laboratory technician is being monitored after possible exposure to the Ebola virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. It said the technician was working at the CDC in Atlanta when an Ebola sample was mistakenly moved from one laboratory to another. The employee will be monitored for 21 days. A CDC spokeswoman said there was no risk to the public.

US lab worker monitored for Ebola
A US laboratory technician is being monitored after possible exposure to the Ebola virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. It said the technician was working at the CDC in Atlanta when an Ebola sample was mistakenly moved from one laboratory to another. The employee will be monitored for 21 days. A CDC spokeswoman said there was no risk to the public.

Storm and tornado hit southern US, killing at least four
A severe storm bringing a tornado, heavy rain, hail and lightning has hit parts of the southern US, killing at least four people and disrupting electricity supplies, officials say. Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant has declared an emergency in two counties. His office said thousands were without power around Columbia, about 130km (81 miles) south-east of Jackson.

Report: Israeli delegation arrives in Egypt to search for bodies of 22 missing soldiers
An Israeli delegation arrived in Cairo early Thursday morning in an attempt to find the remains of 22 soldiers who went missing during Israel's wars in Egypt, sources quoted by the Egyptian media said. Of the 22 soldiers, 16 went missing during the Yom Kippur War, two during the War of Attrition and four during the Six Day War.


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Ukraine crisis: Fresh prisoner swaps expected
More prisoner exchanges are expected between Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels in the east - a day after the two sides swapped hundreds of captives. Ukrainian officials say they are hoping that four soldiers will be freed. The number of militants due to be released has not been confirmed.

Malaysia evacuates 120,000 as floods spread to Johor
Nearly 120,000 Malaysians have been forced out of their homes in the worst flooding in decades, a disaster that has forced Prime Minister Najib Razak to cut short a holiday in the United States.

Third priest is killed in southern Mexico during a series of abductions and attacks against Roman Catholic clerics
A priest has been found dead of a gunshot wound to the head in Mexico's southern Guerrero state, his diocese said Friday. Rev. Gregorio Lopez Gorostieta's death marks the latest in a series of abductions, attacks and highway robberies against Roman Catholic clerics in the state which is dominated by drug cartels.

North Korea blames the U.S. for Internet outages
North Korea accused the United States on Saturday of being responsible for Internet outages it experienced in recent days amid a confrontation between them over the hacking of the film studio Sony Pictures.

US-led coalition hits IS jihadists with 31 air strikes
The US-led coalition pounded the Islamic State jihadist group with 31 air strikes Friday, including more than a dozen in the flashpoint Syrian town of Kobane, the Pentagon said.

FBI faces skepticism over claim that N. Korea hacked Sony
Skeptics claim the evidence the FBI cited is flimsy and inconclusive. They question whether Pyongyang really had the motive, or the ability, to scramble Sony's systems. And they're pushing a range of alternative theories.

Quake hits off Panama's Pacific coast, no damage reported
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck off Panama`s Pacific coast on Friday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, but there were no immediate reports of damage.

Can Russia's Vladimir Putin help deliver a Palestinian state?
Out of total desperation given the near-zero chance of gaining UN Security Council approval of a draft mandating an Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank, Abbas has now turned to Russia.

New Russian military doctrine says NATO top threat
Russia named NATO's military buildup near its border as the main military threat and raised the possibility of using precision conventional weapons as a "strategic deterrent," according to the nation's new military doctrine signed by President Vladimir Putin Friday.

Rick Perry Praises 'Front Runner' Jeb Bush
Texas Gov. Rick Perry tipped his hat to a likely rival this week, calling former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush "probably the front-runner" in the 2016 race for the White House, The Washington Times reports.

Video: Pope Francis Reclaims Vatican's Role as Diplomatic Mediator
The Vatican said Wednesday that Francis wrote to President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro in recent months, and invited them to resolve their differences over humanitarian issues, including prisoners. In addition, the Vatican said it hosted U.S. and Cuban delegations in October "and provided its good offices to facilitate a constructive dialogue on delicate matters, resulting in solutions acceptable to both parties."

Conservative Virginia Minister Starts Prayer Campaign for Law Enforcement; 'This Lie That Police Are Out Hunting Down Black Men Has Got to Stop
Bishop E.W. Jackson, president of STAND, said he believes that police in the U.S. are not targeting black men, as some believe, and is calling for a prayer campaign in support of the country's law enforcement officers.

Arsonist sets fire to Swedish mosque, injuring five
An arsonist set fire to a mosque in the Swedish town of Eskilstuna on Thursday, injuring five people, police said, an incident which comes amid an intense debate over immigration.

The Obama Administration And Race-Baiting Pundits Are Paving The Way For National Policing
how can you create a national force when we already have local agencies? Easy, you sow distrust in the local cops until the divide is so great, people start clamoring for the feds to come to the rescue. It sounds like the backstory to some cheesy movie of a dystopian future — only problem is, this is exactly what we are seeing happen right now, right here.

Pope warns Vatican officials of spiritual ills
Pope Francis' Christmas greeting to the Vatican bureaucracy this year was an extended warning against a host of spiritual ills to which he said Vatican officials are prone, including "spiritual Alzheimer's," "existential schizophrenia," publicity-seeking, the "terrorism of gossip" and even a poor sense of humor. The pope made his remarks Dec. 22, in a biting half-hour speech to heads of the Roman Curia, the church's central administration, and to cardinals resident in Rome.

Protesters' next stop: Fox News, New York Post
“This Die-In Shutdown and Boycott is but the first part of a larger upcoming campaign for justice … to expose the racist lies and bias of mass media starting with but NOT limited to the NY POST!”

Oklahoma earthquakes: USGS continues to look at increase
There have been more than 500 magnitude 3.0 or greater earthquakes in Oklahoma this year, up significantly from 109 in 2013 and just 35 in 2012, according to U.S. Geological Survey officials.

Lebanon's Hezbollah detains 'Israeli spy' in its ranks
Lebanon's Hezbollah has detained a senior party official it accused of spying for Israel and "sabotaging security operations" abroad, a source close to the movement said on Thursday.

Father asks Islamic State to treat captured pilot son as 'guest'
The father of a Jordanian pilot captured by Islamic State fighters after his plane crashed in Syria said he did not consider his son a hostage and called on his captors to treat him as a "guest".

Russia says Kiev's move to join NATO dangerous for Europe
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Ukraine's pursuit of NATO membership posed a danger to European security and that the West was using Kiev's bid to join the Atlantic alliance as a way to fuel confrontation between Russia and Ukraine.

Israeli girl seriously wounded in WBank firebomb attack
An Israeli man and his 11-year-old daughter were wounded Thursday when assailants threw a firebomb at their vehicle in the northern West Bank, the army said. A military spokeswoman told AFP the assailants, believed to be Palestinians, threw a Molotov cocktail at the car near the Maale Shomron settlement.

Dozens of jihadists killed fighting Syria Kurds: monitor
At least 44 members of the Islamic State group were killed in clashes with Kurdish forces in Syria on Thursday, a monitoring group said. Thirty of the jihadists were killed fighting against members of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in the village of Qassiab in Hasakeh province, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

PlayStation Network, Xbox Live offline due to attacks
Online game networks Xbox Live and PlayStation Network have been offline much of Christmas Day in an apparent DDos (distributed denial of service) attack. It caps off a rough holiday season for Sony, which saw its Sony Pictures subsidiary hit by a cyber-attack last month over the upcoming release of The Interview. A hacker group called the Guardians of Peace threatened a 9/11 type attack on theaters if the movie was shown.

Did NFL star really call Obama 'dictator' on national TV?
“Watch for Peyton to speak to the nation, as the president of the United States would speak to the nation tonight,” said Young, now an ESPN analyst. “And tell them, ‘I am the dictator! I am the one that’s gonna take care of everything.”

CDC reports potential Ebola exposure in Atlanta lab
Researchers studying Ebola in a highly secure laboratory mistakenly allowed potentially lethal samples of the virus to be handled in a much less secure laboratory at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, agency officials said Wednesday.

Travelers to Guangdong cautioned over H5N6 bird flu
Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control cautioned travelers to Guangdong province in southern China to pay attention to personal hygiene after the coastal region recorded the world's second confirmed human infection of the H5N6 avian flu. A 58-year-old patient in Guangdong is in critical condition after contracting the disease, the CDC said...

Baghdad's Christians gather defiantly for Christmas Eve mass
Baghdad’s embattled Christian community worshipped defiantly Wednesday night at Christmas Eve mass. The congregation sang in unison: “Praise Jesus, our Lord. Oh praise him” as incense burnt in the darkened church.

Pakistan agrees on new antiterrorism plan, pledges to 'eradicate Taliban'
Pakistan’s leadership overnight agreed on a comprehensive antiterrorism action plan. They will revamp the criminal system, crackdown on terrorist hideouts, communications and sources of income, and establish a 5,000-strong counter-terrorism force. The nation is still reeling from the terrorist attack on a Peshawar school on December 16, which claimed 149 lives, 133 of them children.

ISIS ‘launches new chlorine gas attack’ in Iraq’s Anbar – report
Islamic State militants have reportedly shelled a city in the western Iraqi province of Anbar with chlorine gas-imbued missiles, media reports citing security sources say. The attack is said to have targeted a district with trapped and starving civilians.

CDC monitoring technician for possible Ebola exposure
CDC spokeswoman Barbara Reynolds says in an emailed statement Wednesday that the person working in a secure laboratory in Atlanta may have come into contact with a small amount of a live virus that was part of an Ebola experiment.

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Russia Is In Crisis And Putin Is Fighting To Survive It
The risk of a financial crisis in Russia has risen because of a precipitous fall in the rouble in mid-December. Recession, falling living standards and rising economic uncertainty look set to be key sources of political instability over the near term.

Lindsey Graham to Netanyahu: GOP-Controlled Congress 'Has Your Back'
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham Saturday pledged unwavering support to Israel in its conflicts with Hamas and Iran and vowed that the new Republican-controlled Congress would approve legislation to re-impose sanctions on Tehran should it not agree to limitations on its nuclear arsenal,

Key Al-Shabab Commander Captured
Authorities in Somalia say they have captured one of the most wanted al-Shabab commanders. Zakariye Ismail Hersi was captured in a raid Saturday morning in the town of El Wak near the border with Kenya.

Russia's Terrifying 'Nuke Trains' Will Be Roving The Rails By 2018
Banned under the previous STARTII treaty, but not excluded in 2011's New START treaty, Russia is pulling from its Soviet strategic playbook and reviving the intercontinental ballistic missile toting, hiding in plain sight, 'Nuke Train' concept.

Boko Haram suspected of using girls as suicide bombers
A 13-year-old girl in Nigeria says her father gave her to Boko Haram extremists and she was arrested after refusing to explode a suicide bomb in Kano, Nigeria's second largest city in the north.

Syria ready to discuss Russia peace plan talks, opposition dismissive
Syria said on Saturday it was willing to participate in "preliminary consultations" in Moscow aimed at restarting talks next year to end its civil war but the Western-backed opposition dismissed the initiative.

North Korea blames U.S. for Internet outages, calls Obama 'monkey'
North Korea called U.S. President Barack Obama a "monkey" and blamed Washington on Saturday for Internet outages it has experienced during a confrontation with the United States over the hacking of the film studio Sony Pictures.

Contact with AirAsia flight QZ8501 bound for Singapore from Surabaya lost
Indonesia air traffic control lost contact with AirAsia flight QZ8501 bound for Singapore from the Indonesian city of Surabaya on Sunday morning. Search and rescue operations have begun, AirAsia Indonesia said in its Facebook page. Passengers on board the Airbus A380-200 include 130 adults, 24 children and one infant, according to Indonesia media reports.

Op-Ed: Europe Gave the Green Light to Burn a Jewish Child
Shapira is an 11 year old Jewish girl. She was badly injured in a Palestinian Arab firebomb attack and suffered life-threatening smoke inhalation and third-degree burns over the majority of her body and face. Ayala's "guilt" was being a Jew riding in an Israeli car and living in the Jewish land.

Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson Christmas Tweets Anger Christians
astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson angered Christians on Christmas Day with a series of tweets poking fun of Christmas. The one that sparked the most anger was when he wrote, "On this day long ago, a child who was born who, by age 30, would transform the world. Happy Birthday Isaac Newton b. Dec 25, 1642."

Police outside cop funeral turn backs on NY mayor
Hundreds of officers outside the church where a funeral was held for a policeman killed along with his partner in an ambush shooting turned their backs on the mayor as he spoke during Saturday's service.

The ISIS caliphate is already crumbling
It turns out that the Islamic State, which seized large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria this year, is not so good at the whole running a state thing. According to The Washington Post, areas under ISIS' control are rapidly falling apart due to severe mismanagement:

Russia tests 10-warhead ballistic missile
Russian Defense Ministry announced the successful test of the RS-24 "Yars" ballistic missile on Friday. "Test warheads hit their targets in the Kura testing range on the Kamchatka peninsula with pinpoint accuracy," said Col. Igor Yegorov a spokesman for the ministry. The missile was launched at 11:02 Moscow time on Friday, Yegorov said.

‘Noah's Ark’: Russia to build world first DNA databank of all living things
...Moscow State University has secured Russia’s largest-ever scientific grant to collect the DNA of every living and extinct creature for the world’s first database of its kind. “I call the project ‘Noah’s Ark.’ It will involve the creation of a depository – a databank for the storing of every living thing on Earth, including not only living, but disappearing and extinct organisms.

Assad orders Christmas Day strike on Islamic State territory
Forces loyal to embattled Syrian president Bashar Assad have engaged in a bombardment of territory under the control of Islamic State militants over the last 48 hours, killing roughly 40 people, according to local reports. Syrian Army helicopters used barrel bombs - barrels packed with explosives and metal shards, with no precision mechanism— to strike the areas of al-Bab and Qabaseen on Christmas Day and overnight.

Islamic State fighters are moving ever closer towards Israel
Islamic State has suffered severe losses as a result of coalition air strikes in the last months. ...Yet despite these setbacks,...while American bombers and Kurdish fighters are preventing its advance further east, there are many indications the jihadists are continuing to advance...in a south and westerly direction...towards Damascus and Lebanon, and incidentally, in the direction of Israel.

Report: Nasrallah is pushing for Hamas reconciliation with Syria and Iran
Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrallah is reportedly mediating between Hamas on the one hand and Iran and Syria on the other in order to patch up the alliance that has been damaged due to the war in Syria. The reconciliation efforts were reported on Saturday in the Lebanese newspaper As-Safir.

Ukraine crisis: Fresh prisoner swaps expected
More prisoner exchanges are expected between Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels in the east - a day after the two sides swapped hundreds of captives. Ukrainian officials say they are hoping that four soldiers will be freed. The number of militants due to be released has not been confirmed.

Malaysia evacuates 120,000 as floods spread to Johor
Nearly 120,000 Malaysians have been forced out of their homes in the worst flooding in decades, a disaster that has forced Prime Minister Najib Razak to cut short a holiday in the United States.

Third priest is killed in southern Mexico during a series of abductions and attacks against Roman Catholic clerics
A priest has been found dead of a gunshot wound to the head in Mexico's southern Guerrero state, his diocese said Friday. Rev. Gregorio Lopez Gorostieta's death marks the latest in a series of abductions, attacks and highway robberies against Roman Catholic clerics in the state which is dominated by drug cartels.

North Korea blames the U.S. for Internet outages
North Korea accused the United States on Saturday of being responsible for Internet outages it experienced in recent days amid a confrontation between them over the hacking of the film studio Sony Pictures.

US-led coalition hits IS jihadists with 31 air strikes
The US-led coalition pounded the Islamic State jihadist group with 31 air strikes Friday, including more than a dozen in the flashpoint Syrian town of Kobane, the Pentagon said.

FBI faces skepticism over claim that N. Korea hacked Sony
Skeptics claim the evidence the FBI cited is flimsy and inconclusive. They question whether Pyongyang really had the motive, or the ability, to scramble Sony's systems. And they're pushing a range of alternative theories.

Quake hits off Panama's Pacific coast, no damage reported
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck off Panama`s Pacific coast on Friday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, but there were no immediate reports of damage.

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Pope Francis's New Year's Resolution: Tackle Climate Change
Pope Francis has rocked both the religious and secular worlds this year by eschewing papal security, embracing the poor and reaching out to gay and lesbian people. And it won’t end there. For 2015 he’s got a whopping New Year’s resolution: Tackle climate change.

Indonesian rescue official: Missing plane likely 'at the bottom of the sea'
Indonesia's top rescue official says authorities believe the missing AirAsia jet is likely at the bottom of the sea, based on radar data from the plane's last contact. "(Because) the coordinate that was given to us and the evolution from the calculation point of the flight track is at sea, our early conjecture is that the plane is in the bottom of the sea," said Marsdya Tni Hendry Bambang, head of Indonesia's national search and rescue agency.

The Interview makes $15m in online release
Controversial Sony film The Interview has become the number one online movie ever released by the studio just four days after its release on 24 December.

Turkey backs Palestinians over holy site tensions
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Sunday that Turkey stands behind Palestinians in their efforts to oppose what he called Israeli attempts to "reduce the Islamic character" of Jerusalem. Davutoglu was speaking to reporters in the central Turkish city of Konya, a day after meeting with exiled Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal.

Hamas bars Gaza children from Israel trip
Gaza's Hamas rulers prevented a group of children from entering Israel on Sunday for a postwar conciliatory trip meant to foster peace, Hamas and organizers said. The 37 children, most of whom have lost a parent in fighting between Hamas and Israel, were to enter Israel on Sunday and spend a week visiting Jewish and Arab communities and a zoo. They were also going to travel to the West Bank for a meeting with the Palestinian president.

Unauthorized Muslim Construction on Temple Mount
Unauthorized work being done on the Temple Mount floor was filmed today (December 28, 2014). The work, which included the breaking up of the Temple Mount surface by jackhammer, was ordered by the Muslim Waqf.

NYPD's Bratton: Healing Police Rifts Will Be 'Painful Process'
Police officers again turned their backs to de Blasio when he showed up Saturday for the funeral of Officer Rafael Ramos, who was killed in the line of duty by a man vowing revenge in social media for Garner's death. Police union leaders say they feel thrown under the bus by de Blasio, whom they accuse of siding with the protester

Scientists study latest Yellowstone earthquake swarms
The latest earthquake swarm in central Idaho could help scientists better understand quake belts extending from Yellowstone National Park. The most recent swarm in the Challis area started this week and so far 20 quakes have been recorded, the largest a magnitude 3.7 on Monday.

IDF fire on Palestinians protesting near border fence with Gaza
The IDF has reportedly opened fire on a group of Palestinian protesters who approached the border fence between Gaza Strip and Israel. The incident, which has not yet been confirmed by the IDF, followed reports of a Hamas-backed protest held earlier in Gaza decring the Israeli-Egyptian blockade on Gaza.

New issue of jihadist magazine produced by al-Qaeda...suggests attacks on U.S.
A new issue of Inspire...produced by al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Yemen, is devoted to “jihad on America” and suggests targeting major American figures as well as Western commercial airliners... The issue is the 13th since Inspire was first published online in 2010. Its founder, Samir Zafar Khan, was born in Saudi Arabia to Pakistani parents but grew up in New York state.

France Alps: Snow strands motorists in Savoy
Snow and ice in the French Alps have stranded 15,000 vehicles, snarling up holiday traffic to and from ski resorts, French media report. The country declared an orange weather alert, its second-highest, as local authorities scrambled to put up motorists for the night. One man died when his vehicle slid into a ravine in the Isere region.

Netanyahu: Iran increasing efforts to deepen terrorist activities in West Bank
Iran is increasing its efforts to “deepen” its terrorist activities in the West Bank, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the cabinet at its weekly meeting on Sunday. “No less a personage than the Palestinian Authority's ambassador in Tehran said that he is excited by the directives of Iran's ruler [Ali] Khamaeni to send weapons to the West Bank,” Netanyahu said.

Russia Is In Crisis And Putin Is Fighting To Survive It
The risk of a financial crisis in Russia has risen because of a precipitous fall in the rouble in mid-December. Recession, falling living standards and rising economic uncertainty look set to be key sources of political instability over the near term.

Lindsey Graham to Netanyahu: GOP-Controlled Congress 'Has Your Back'
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham Saturday pledged unwavering support to Israel in its conflicts with Hamas and Iran and vowed that the new Republican-controlled Congress would approve legislation to re-impose sanctions on Tehran should it not agree to limitations on its nuclear arsenal,

Key Al-Shabab Commander Captured
Authorities in Somalia say they have captured one of the most wanted al-Shabab commanders. Zakariye Ismail Hersi was captured in a raid Saturday morning in the town of El Wak near the border with Kenya.

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Why the US will power the world economy in 2015
WASHINGTON — The United States is back, and ready to drive global growth in 2015. After long struggling to claw its way out of the Great Recession, the world's biggest economy is on an extended win streak that is edging it closer to full health. But the new year doesn't look quite so bright in other major countries.

US Oil Rigs Are Shutting Down Like Crazy
The latest Baker Hughes rig count data showed that the total number of US rigs in operation — which includes both oil and gas rigs — fell by 35 last week, to 1,840 from 1,875. This report is usually released on Friday afternoons, but was released on Monday due to last week's Christmas holiday.

Rare Snow to Blanket Las Vegas, Desert Southwest on New Year's Eve
As cold air continues to plunge southward in the West, a storm will produce rare New Year's Eve and New Year's Day snow for Las Vegas, the Mojave Desert and the mountains in the region. Pack some warm clothes and perhaps winter boots if you are heading to the Southwest for the New Year's holiday. Motorists heading over the mountains should expect delays due to snow-covered roads.

Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei accuses US police of 'oppressing' black community
Iran's supreme leader has baited America over its race relations record, accusing its police of oppressing the country's black community and likening their suffering to that of Jesus.

Russians Rage Against America
Enduring Sanctions, Anger Turns to Hate: Racist Names for Obama and Putin Disses Coca-Cola. If you talk to a Russian about the international political situation, sooner or later you will be informed that there is a country in North America that you’ve never heard of. Its name is ‘Pindosia,’ ‘Pindostan’ or, more officially, ‘United States of Pindostan,’ and you will be told that one part of it, called Alaska, used to belong to Russia. Part of the word—‘stan’—stands for underdeveloped state, as in ‘ Pakistan,’ ‘Kazakhstan,’ or ‘Uzbekistan.’ The citizens of this country in plural form are called ‘pindoses,’ in singular—‘pindos.’

China, U.S. Join the Search for AirAsia QZ8501 in Waters Near Borneo
Chinese and U.S. military ships are heading to seas south and west of Borneo where a AirAsia Bhd. (AIRA) passenger jet is suspected of crashing as the search enters its third day.

Leaving Afghanistan, Repeating Iraq
You don’t have to be a soldier or diplomat to ask whether President Obama’s withdrawal of our troops from Afghanistan on December 31 is a good idea or not. Consider what happened when he withdrew our troops from Iraq in 2011. The answer to that is the Islamic State which filled the vacuum left behind.

Jimmy Carter: From Nobel Prize to 'Terrorist' Ties
The image is iconic. On March 26, 1979, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat clasped hands at the White House in Washington after signing an agreement that would end 31 years of war between the countries.Standing between the leaders was President Jimmy Carter, who brokered the deal after a tense 13-day summit at Camp David in Maryland in which both parties threatened to walk out daily.

Why aren’t progressives putting the run to Commies organizing street protests
It’s time for Mayor Bill de Blasio, the 2008 endorser of his New York City Public Defender candidacy opportunist/ activist Al Sharpton; President Barack Obama, the lawless Eric Holder et al to send an eardrum-splitting message to their protegé protesters: “Stop the hatred bringing on the Cop Killers!”

Escalation on the Northern Front: Background and Significance - Security-Political Simulation
Common to all the parties in the simulation was the desire to avoid being dragged into escalation. All the parties tried to contain the event and confine it to a short round of strikes. Among the restraining factors were the challenge posed by the Islamic State and the weakening of the Shiite axis in the region, Hizbollah’s involvement in Syria, and the dialogue between Tehran and Washington – on both the nuclear question and in dealing with the Islamic State, their common enemy.

NY Mayor de Blasio Heckled at Police Graduation Ceremony
Mayor Bill de Blasio on Monday drew heckles and boos as well as cheers when he addressed graduating police cadets on Monday, two days after thousands of uniformed officers turned their backs on him at a slain policeman's funeral.

This Era of Low-Cost Oil Is Different
The world is experiencing much more than a temporary dip in oil prices. Because of a change in the supply model, this is a fundamental shift that will likely have long-lasting effects.

Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant unplugs from the grid for good this week
VERNON, VT -- The 620-megawatt Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant will disconnect from the regional power grid this week after four decades of producing electricity, according to the company's decommissioning website.

Michele Bachmann Accuses Obama Of Assisting Anti-Israel Jihadists
She said she has watched Obama, “at every turn, cut the legs of our ally, Israel, and in fact embrace and lift up the agenda of Islamic jihad.” Obama’s ostensibly enthusiastic support of Iran’s leader as that nation reportedly moves toward the creation of a nuclear weapon, Bachmann said, is a further cause for serious concern.

Judge Jeanine: De Blasio Is A Coward And A Bully With Blood On His Shoes
Instead of uniting the country during these volatile times since the Michael Brown incident in Ferguson, the leaders, Judge Jeanine said, have been stoking the flames of hatred. (Video)

It's Not the Zombie Apocalypse, but Killer Superbugs Could Be on the Way
..drug-resistant superbugs are on pace to kill an extra 10 million people per year worldwide and cost up to $100 trillion by 2050 if global governments and pharmaceutical drug developers don't focus on battling these evolving diseases.

Egypt reports 10th bird flu death this year
The death occurred last week in the southern province of Aswan, health ministry spokesman Hossam Abdel Ghaffar said. In the capital, a 42-year-old man was diagnosed and quarantined on December 26, the 25th case of bird flu in the country this year but the first infection reported in Cairo.

Last Jew in Pakistan Fights for Jewish Cemetery
Engineer Fishel (Faisal) Benkhald, a Pakistani who according to his own estimation is the last Jew in the Muslim country, is struggling to preserve the Jewish cemetery in Karachi, Pakistan's largest city with a population of 20 million.

NYPD cop slayings: Never forget who's to blame
Officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu were executed by a black Muslim thug in Brooklyn, New York, in retaliation for the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. During the funeral, hundreds of police turned their backs on NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio as he spoke. Why? Because those officers know de Blasio has blood on his hands.

Three dead, thousands flee as storm hits Mindanao
BUTUAN, Philippines — Three people were killed, one is missing and thousands fled their homes as a tropical storm battered the southern Philippines with strong winds and heavy rain, officials said Monday. The storm, locally named “Seniang” and with winds of up to 80 kilometers (50 miles) per hour, slammed into the main southern island of Mindanao before dawn, then crossed to the central islands, the state weather buerau said.

Magnitude 6.1 quake rocks Sulu Sea off Zamboanga City, aftershocks expected
MANILA, Philippines―A magnitude 6.1 earthquake hit the Sulu Sea off Zamboanga City late Monday afternoon with aftershocks expected, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

COMET LOVEJOY BRIGHTENS
It's official. Comet Lovejoy (C/2014 Q2) is now a naked-eye object. Science journalist and longtime comet watcher Mariano Ribas of the Planetario de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina, reports that as of last night "Comet Lovejoy has reached magnitude 5.0, just above the threshold for human visibility from dark-sky sites.

Auschwitz anniversary a reminder that anti-Semitism at levels not seen since WWII
Ronald S. Lauder told Reuters in an interview anti-Semitism had reached levels not seen since World War Two, driven by Islamist extremists using hatred of Jews as a way to attack Israel, and by far-right nationalists in Europe.

Anti-Police Protesters Plan to Disrupt New Year’s Eve Celebrations
Anti-police protesters are planning to disrupt New Year’s Eve celebrations at major metropolitan sites. The website Stop Mass Incarceration calls upon activists to not allow New Years Eve 2015 “to go down because business as usual in Amerikkka includes wanton police murder of Black people.”

Racial unrest in Ferguson and New York a Communist Revolution
The last words of Eric Garner: “I can’t breathe” were taken directly from his lips, plagiarized and put into use by the Revolutionary Communist Party USA. The overnight outbreak of violence in Ferguson and New York, including looting and burning in Ferguson, is not a spontaneous grassroots community response to the Grand Jury decisions not to indict Michael Brown and Eric Garner. It is being fully scripted and orchestrated by the Revolutionary Communist Party USA as a beefed-up “orientation for making revolution in the imperialist countries such as the U.S.”

Peace on Earth? I Don’t Think So
Around the world millions of Christians joined together to celebrate the birth of Jesus and to pray for “peace on Earth, good will toward men.” The 2015 World Almanac puts the number of Christians in the world at 2,347,171,000, by far the largest group sharing the same spiritual beliefs. It puts the number of Muslims at 1,633,173,000. Of the seven billion residents of planet Earth, more than six billion identify themselves as part of one of the many different faiths, to include Hindu, Buddhist, and others.

Pope Francis's New Year's Resolution: Tackle Climate Change
Pope Francis has rocked both the religious and secular worlds this year by eschewing papal security, embracing the poor and reaching out to gay and lesbian people. And it won’t end there. For 2015 he’s got a whopping New Year’s resolution: Tackle climate change.

Indonesian rescue official: Missing plane likely 'at the bottom of the sea'
Indonesia's top rescue official says authorities believe the missing AirAsia jet is likely at the bottom of the sea, based on radar data from the plane's last contact. "(Because) the coordinate that was given to us and the evolution from the calculation point of the flight track is at sea, our early conjecture is that the plane is in the bottom of the sea," said Marsdya Tni Hendry Bambang, head of Indonesia's national search and rescue agency.

The Interview makes $15m in online release
Controversial Sony film The Interview has become the number one online movie ever released by the studio just four days after its release on 24 December.

Turkey backs Palestinians over holy site tensions
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Sunday that Turkey stands behind Palestinians in their efforts to oppose what he called Israeli attempts to "reduce the Islamic character" of Jerusalem. Davutoglu was speaking to reporters in the central Turkish city of Konya, a day after meeting with exiled Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal.

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Tropical Storm's Floods, Landslides Kill 21 in Philippines
hilippine officials said Tuesday that Tropical Storm Jangmi had triggered floods and landslides, killing at least 21 people in the central and southern parts of the country, many in areas not yet fully recovered from last year's Typhoon Haiyan.

Ebola wrecks years of aid work in worst-hit countries
Ebola is wrecking years of health and education work in Sierra Leone and Liberia following their civil wars, forcing many charity groups to suspend operations or re-direct them to fighting the epidemic.

Sonar finds location of downed AirAsia Flight 8501
Indonesia's search and recovery agency says a sonar image appears to have found the wreckage of AirAsia Flight 8501 upside down on the floor of the Java Sea, CBS News has confirmed. It is unclear whether or not the plane has been found intact.

Mass protests in Moscow as leading Putin critic is jailed
Police in Moscow arrested more than 100 people outside the Kremlin last night after protests at the jailing of the brother of Russia's most prominent opposition leader. Alexei Navalny, an anti-corruption campaigner and one of the most vociferous public critics of President Vladimir Putin's government, was given a three-and-a-half-year suspended sentence for fraud yesterday.

U.S. is in an oil war with Russia and OPEC: Katusa
Oil prices have tanked this year. Oversupply and diminishing consumption have resulted in oil falling to its cheapest price since May of 2009. “It’s a three-way oil war between OPEC, Russia and North American shale,” says Marin Katusa, author of “The Colder War,” and chief energy investment strategist at Casey Research.

UN rejects Palestinian resolution to end Israel's occupation
The Security Council rejected a Palestinian resolution demanding an end to Israeli occupation within three years late Tuesday, a blow to an Arab campaign to get the U.N.'s most powerful body to take action to achieve an independent state of Palestine.

One Word Changes Everything; Can You Handle The Truth?
There is a significant shift in the church today to avoid controversial truths, such as sin and repentance. if a pastor avoids difficult truths they are not a pastor; they are a motivational speaker, or a false prophet offering false hope (cf. Jeremiah 23). The cross only makes sense in light of the consequences of sin.

Rivlin: Retaliation against persecution of Christians in the Middle East is a war against extremism
Over the past months, he said, “we have been greatly concerned by the on-going religious persecution and restrictions on freedom of worship for minorities in the Middle East. Because of their faith hundreds of thousands are being exiled, forcibly converted, attacked and brutally murdered,” he said.

Obama Wants to Make Iran ‘Regional Power
In an interview with National Public Radio published Monday, President Barack Obama offered Iran the prospect of becoming a “regional power” in exchange for a nuclear deal.

Gohmert: GOP Leadership Not ‘on Board’ With Defunding Exec Amnesty
Louie Gohmert (R-TX) declared that Republican leaders in Congress “need to get on board” with defunding the president’s executive action on immigration on Monday’s “Hannity” on the Fox News Channel.

Islamic State claims killing of Iranian military adviser Brigadier General Hamid Taghavi in Iraq
The Islamic State (IS) group has claimed the killing of a senior Iranian officer advising Iraqi forces in their fight against the jihadists, in posts on jihadist internet forums.

Ebola case numbers top 20,000, deaths approach 8,000: WHO
The number of people infected by Ebola in the three countries worst affected by the outbreak has passed 20,000, with more than 7,842 deaths in the epidemic so far, the World Health Organization said on Monday.

Oil hits five-and-a-half-year low below $57 on supply glut
Brent crude oil fell to a 5-1/2-year low of less than $57 a barrel on Tuesday as a global supply glut outweighed concerns of lost supply from Libya where battling militias have closed ports.

Minor earthquakes reported in central Utah
The U.S. Geological Survey says two minor earthquakes of 3.7 magnitude and 3.2 magnitude hit central Utah late Sunday night about eight miles southwest of Nephi.

Earthquakes Hit Geysir Area and North Iceland
Yesterday evening at 11:18 an earthquake of magnitude 4.4 was detected in the ocean approximately 20 km (13 miles) north of Kolbeinsey island near the inhabited island of Grímsey and some smaller followed.

Iran's Bushehr Province Hit by 5.3-Magnitude Earthquake:
A 5.3-magnitude earthquake has hit the country's southern Bushehr Province near the country's nuclear power plant, Iranian news agency IRNA reported Tuesday.

IDF to withdraw from Gaza border communities
The IDF announced on Sunday that it will withdraw its troops from communities bordering the Gaza Strip starting from Thursday, and said that soldiers will remain on guard at only three communities adjacent to the border. The decision was met by outrage among southern residents, as the government has yet to deliver on its promise made during Operation Protective Edge, according to which an advanced security fence would be build along the border.

CDC says nation at epidemic threshold
Illinois is reporting high flu activity and the CDC says the U.S. has hit the flu epidemic threshold nationwide. According to the CDC, the proportion of deaths reported in 122 U.S. cities from pneumonia and influenza surpassed the seasonal baseline and currently stands at the epidemic threshold of 6.8 percent. The number of states reporting high flu activity has also increased from 13 to 22.

Whooping cough proteins evolving 'unusually' fast
Whooping cough may be evolving to outsmart the currently used vaccine, say researchers. Analysis of strains from 2012 shows the parts of the pertussis bacterium that the vaccine primes the immune system to recognise are changing. It may have "serious consequences" in future outbreaks, UK researchers state in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

Afghanistan conflict: Taliban declares 'defeat' of Nato
Taliban fighters in Afghanistan have declared the "defeat" of the US and its allies, a day after the coalition officially ended its combat mission. A Taliban statement said the US-led force had "rolled up its flag" without having achieved "anything substantial". Nato formally ended its 13-year mission on Sunday, but about 13,000 troops will stay to train the Afghan army.

US air strike in Somalia targets al-Shabab leader
The US says it has conducted an air strike against the Islamist insurgent group al-Shabab in Somalia. Its target was a "senior leader" in the area of Saakow, according to a statement by the US defence department. "At this time, we do not assess there to be any civilian or bystander casualties," it said.

USA Russia: Obama suggests Putin 'not so smart'
President Barack Obama has said Vladimir Putin made a "strategic mistake" when he annexed Crimea, in a move that was "not so smart". Those thinking his Russian counterpart was a "genius" had been proven wrong by Russia's economic crisis, he said. International sanctions had made Russia's economy particularly vulnerable to changes in oil price, Mr Obama said.

Indonesia finds bodies, debris in search for missing jet: official
JAKARTA - Indonesian rescuers saw bodies and luggage off the coast of Borneo island on Tuesday and officials said they were "95 percent sure" debris spotted in the sea was from a missing AirAsia plane with 162 people on board.

Why the US will power the world economy in 2015
WASHINGTON — The United States is back, and ready to drive global growth in 2015. After long struggling to claw its way out of the Great Recession, the world's biggest economy is on an extended win streak that is edging it closer to full health. But the new year doesn't look quite so bright in other major countries.

US Oil Rigs Are Shutting Down Like Crazy
The latest Baker Hughes rig count data showed that the total number of US rigs in operation — which includes both oil and gas rigs — fell by 35 last week, to 1,840 from 1,875. This report is usually released on Friday afternoons, but was released on Monday due to last week's Christmas holiday.

Rare Snow to Blanket Las Vegas, Desert Southwest on New Year's Eve
As cold air continues to plunge southward in the West, a storm will produce rare New Year's Eve and New Year's Day snow for Las Vegas, the Mojave Desert and the mountains in the region. Pack some warm clothes and perhaps winter boots if you are heading to the Southwest for the New Year's holiday. Motorists heading over the mountains should expect delays due to snow-covered roads.

Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei accuses US police of 'oppressing' black community
Iran's supreme leader has baited America over its race relations record, accusing its police of oppressing the country's black community and likening their suffering to that of Jesus.

Russians Rage Against America
Enduring Sanctions, Anger Turns to Hate: Racist Names for Obama and Putin Disses Coca-Cola. If you talk to a Russian about the international political situation, sooner or later you will be informed that there is a country in North America that you’ve never heard of. Its name is ‘Pindosia,’ ‘Pindostan’ or, more officially, ‘United States of Pindostan,’ and you will be told that one part of it, called Alaska, used to belong to Russia. Part of the word—‘stan’—stands for underdeveloped state, as in ‘ Pakistan,’ ‘Kazakhstan,’ or ‘Uzbekistan.’ The citizens of this country in plural form are called ‘pindoses,’ in singular—‘pindos.’

China, U.S. Join the Search for AirAsia QZ8501 in Waters Near Borneo
Chinese and U.S. military ships are heading to seas south and west of Borneo where a AirAsia Bhd. (AIRA) passenger jet is suspected of crashing as the search enters its third day.

Leaving Afghanistan, Repeating Iraq
You don’t have to be a soldier or diplomat to ask whether President Obama’s withdrawal of our troops from Afghanistan on December 31 is a good idea or not. Consider what happened when he withdrew our troops from Iraq in 2011. The answer to that is the Islamic State which filled the vacuum left behind.

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