In Loving Memory
April 29, 1947 - September 5, 2020
Update: On Saturday, September 5th, 2020, the founder, administrator, and head moderator of this forum, Valerie S., went Home to be with the Lord. Her obituary can be found on https://memorials.demarcofuneralhomes.com/valerie-skrzyniak/4321619/index.php.
1 Thessalonians 4:15-18
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
2 Timothy 4:7-8
For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing .
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Thousands of people have backed a Brexit legal challenge to find out if Article 50 is reversible
Thousands of people have backed a new legal challenge to Brexit that will examine whether Article 50 — the process by which Britain will begin to leave the European Union — is reversible.
Foxconn Fires 25% Of India Workers As Demonetization Destroys Sales
While piecemeal anecdotes and surveys have already exposed the devastation that PM Modi's demonetization plan has had on the Indian economy, tonight we see the first hard evidence as Foxconn has asked 25% of its workforce to leave after the cash ban caused sales to collapse by 50% forcing the company to slash production by half.
Former UK Ambassador Blasts "CIA's Blatant Lies", Shows "A Little Simple Logic Destroys Their Claims"
I have watched incredulous as the CIA’s blatant lie has grown and grown as a media story – blatant because the CIA has made no attempt whatsoever to substantiate it. There is no Russian involvement in the leaks of emails showing Clinton’s corruption. Yes this rubbish has been the lead today in the Washington Post in the US and the Guardian here, and was the lead item on the BBC main news. I suspect it is leading the American broadcasts also.
Dutch populist leader Wilders rises in polls after conviction
The party of populist anti-Islam Dutch MP Geert Wilders has risen strongly in the polls since the lawmaker was tried and convicted of discrimination, according to a survey published Sunday.
Trump: Claims of Russian interference in 2016 race 'ridiculous,' Dems making excuses
President-elect Donald Trump, in an exclusive interview with “Fox News Sunday,” decried as “ridiculous” the CIA’s reported assessment that Russia intervened in the election to boost his candidacy – describing the claim as another “excuse” pushed by Democrats to explain his upset victory.
Ethiopian Judaism ‘Nearly Identical’ to Second Temple Practice
While the differences between Ethiopian Judaism and the Judaism practiced by religious Jews today have led some to disparage the Ethiopian connection to the Jewish people, Dr. Ziv said that many Ethiopian customs align perfectly with descriptions of Jewish life and laws found in the Dead Sea Scrolls, which date from the Second Temple.
Congresswoman Introduces ‘Stop Arming Terrorists Act’
Hawaii Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard last week introduced the “Stop Arming Terrorists Act” after visiting New York’s Trump Tower and meeting President-elect Donald Trump. Gabbard, an Army veteran and a member of the House Committees on Foreign Affairs and Armed Services, wrote: “If you or I gave money, weapons or support to al-Qaeda or ISIS, we would be thrown in jail. Why does our government get a free pass on this?”
Did Rabbi's Vision Cause Russian Missile To Explode on Launchpad?
In a lecture that he gave in September, Rabbi Nir Ben Artzi reassured his followers that the S-300 anti-aircraft weapons system Russia was sending to Iran would not be a threat to Israel, despite what military experts claimed. He cited Psalms as the source of his prescient knowledge.
Bill Would Allow Government to Locate People With Tracking Devices
A bill meant to help those with developmental disabilities would allow government agencies to locate people with tracking devices, which has some concerned the measure gives the federal government too much authority and power.
Fox News Staff is Sick of Megyn Kelly (video)
According to a story on Breitbart by Joel Pollak, the staff at Fox News is sick of Megyn Kelly’s self-serving ego trip. As one unidentified source put it: “Everybody in the building is sick of it. We absolutely can’t stand it anymore.”
France Extends Emergency Law as Terrorist Threat Remains High
The French government will extend until July 15 the emergency anti-terrorism measures due to expire at the end of January, as threats persist and may intensify in the run-up to next year’s presidential election, Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said after a special cabinet meeting. The state of emergency is “essential” and has proven efficient in thwarting attacks, he told reporters in Paris on Saturday.
Weekend snow sets stage for Polar Vortex's icy return
Snow is forecast to spread across the nation's northern tier this weekend and as far east as Maine by Monday, setting the stage for another blast of bitterly cold air next week that could send temperatures plunging as far south as Atlanta. As serious winter weather settles in, the anticipation of harsh cold marks the reappearance of the Polar Vortex, like the one that infamously slammed the U.S. in January 2014.
Catholic Church: New Priests Will be Expected to Preach Global Warming
Catholic Online reports that new priests will be expected to be familiar with and promote efforts to reduce carbon emissions. ...The Catholic Church is intimately concerned about climate change. The Vatican’s Pontifical Academy of Sciences...has concluded that global climate change is real and is caused, at least in significant part, by human activity.
Somalia conflict: Deadly blast rocks Mogadishu port area
A suicide car bomber has killed at least 16 people in the Somali capital Mogadishu, officials say. Dozens of others were injured in the explosion early on Sunday. The bomber struck at the entrance of the city's main port facilities. Residents say the blast could be heard across Mogadishu.
Nigeria Uyo: Scores dead in church collapse
At least 60 bodies have been recovered from a church that collapsed in the south-eastern Nigerian city of Uyo. Some reports put the number much higher. The roof of the church caved in on worshippers who had gathered for the ordination of a bishop. Those inside the Reigners Bible Church included Akwa Ibom state governor Udom Emmanuel, who survived the disaster.
State aiming for new delay in demolishing Amona
The state is expected...to ask the High Court of Justice to postpone the demolishing of the West Bank Amona outpost by one month. The High Court had previously ordered the outpost’s demolition by December 25, and it has rejected previous requests by the state to postpone it. The one-month delay would move the demolition date to January 25, five days after US President-elect Trump takes office.
http://www.raptureready.com/rapnews_db.php
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Report: Trump Team Looking at Moving US Embassy Out of Tel Aviv
Incoming President Donald Trump's transition team is looking into moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel out of Tel Aviv, the Times of Israel reported.
Completed Wisconsin recount widens Donald Trump's lead by 131 votes
Wisconsin’s historic presidential recount ended Monday resulting in a net gain of 131 votes for President-elect Donald Trump over Democrat Hillary Clinton, the Wisconsin Elections Commission said.
Mount St. Helens shakes 120 times within week as volcano recharges, scientists say
In less than a week, four swarms of more than 120 earthquakes shook Mount St. Helens in late November. Although they were too small to be felt even by someone standing directly over their epicenters, scientists say they reveal the volcano is likely recharging.
Tina Fey Nails the Reason for Hillary's Loss
Here is a devoted liberal speaking to an audience of devoted liberals and being funny about politics in a way one rarely sees anymore on the left: self-mockery.
Germany Combats Antisemitism with New 'Rent-a-Jew' Program
Do we have horns? Do we all know each other? Why do we control Hollywood, the media, and the banking industry? Curious Germans might find answers to these questions through a new program designed to combat antisemitism called "Rent-A-Jew." Many Germans "have never met a Jewish person," writes Deutsche Welle, and the new program wants to change that.
Law Enforcement Officials Warn Obama: Locals May Turn On Anti-Pipeline Protesters
North Dakota law enforcement officials, who have been dealing with violent anti-pipeline protesters, accused President Obama of willfully ignoring their requests for help and warned that fed-up local groups are preparing to take matters into their own hands against the protesters.
Mount St. Helens shakes 120 times within a week
In less than a week, four swarms of more than 120 earthquakes shook Mount St. Helens in late November. Although they were too small to be felt even by someone standing directly over their epicenters, scientists say they reveal the volcano is likely recharging. “Each of these little earthquakes is a clue and a reminder we are marching toward an eruption someday,” said Weston Thelen, a U.S. Geological Survey seismologist....
Trump Labels CNN “Fake News”
President-elect Donald Trump labeled cable network CNN “fake news” Saturday for its continued inaccurate coverage of his future role with NBC’s The Apprentice. Trump savaged corporate media giants face-to-face at a meeting in Trump Tower last month, where several network CEOs and prominent talking heads were told they were a pack of liars.
Hillary pleads to dismiss Benghazi lawsuit
The plaintiffs are arguing the case should to go trial because she doesn’t deserve special treatment as a member of the “political elite.” Clinton narrowly averted a default judgment in the case earlier when a judge adopted claims that she wasn’t properly served.
Trump won’t be bound by One China policy without concessions on trade
Trump also said he won't be bound by "One China" policy unless Beijing makes concessions on trade.
Attack on Cairo's Coptic Orthodox cathedral kills 25
Cairo, Egypt, Dec 11, 2016 / 02:47 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- At least 25 persons were killed Sunday when a bomb exploded at a chapel attached to St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo, and dozens more were injured.
FBI Disagrees With CIA On Russian Influence In The Presidential Election
A senior FBI counterintelligence official met with Republican and Democrat members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence in order to give the bureau’s view of a recent CIA report. The official did not concur with the CIA, frustrating Democrats.
Claims of Russia's Involvement in Cyberattacks Groundless - Kremlin
Last week, media reports emerged citing the US Central Intelligence Agency accusing Russia of interfering in the US elections in November to help Donald Trump, who won the vote, secure victory.
Magnitude 5.4 Quake Shakes Western Argentina
A 5.4-magnitude earthquake hit not far from Argentina’s western city of San Juan, the European Mediterranean Seismological Center said Monday.
4.7 earthquake near Seddon felt by thousands across both islands
Nearly 4000 people from Christchurch to the Bay of Plenty have reported feeling a 'strong' 4.7 magnitude earthquake centred south-east of the South Island town of Seddon.
Japan protests over China's complaint about fighter jets
Japan said on Monday it had protested to China over a Chinese complaint that Japanese fighter jets had engaged in "dangerous and unprofessional" behavior when they scrambled at the weekend as Chinese aircraft flew near Japanese islands. Chinese military aircraft on Saturday flew between Japan's Okinawa and Miyako islands, and over waterways near self-ruled Taiwan...as part of long-range exercises, Taiwan said.
China warns Trump against ignoring its Taiwan interests
China expressed "serious concern"... after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said the United States did not necessarily have to stick to its long-held stance that Taiwan is part of "one China"... Trump's comments...questioning nearly four decades of U.S. policy, came after he prompted a diplomatic protest from China over his decision to accept a telephone call from Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Dec. 2.
1,600 Flights Across Midwest Canceled as Winter Blast Rolls East
More than 1,600 flights were canceled at Chicago and Detroit airports Sunday as a winter storm swept through the Midwest on its way east, threatening to bring more snow to parts of Ohio that have seen nearly three feet. More than 1,390 flights were canceled in Chicago's O'Hare and Midway airports — about half arrivals and half departures, flight-tracking website FlightAware reported.
Venezuela pulls highest-value banknote 'to strike against mafia'
The Venezuelan government has announced it will remove the country's highest-denomination banknote from circulation within 72 hours to combat contraband. Central bank data suggests there are more than six billion 100-bolivar notes in circulation, making up almost half of all currency. Venezuelans will have 10 days from Wednesday to exchange the notes for coins and new, higher-value bills.
Cyclone Vardah: Two dead as storm lashes south India coast
At least two people have been killed and thousands evacuated from coastal areas in two southern Indian states, as Cyclone Vardah lashed Chennai (Madras). Schools and businesses were shut and airport services suspended, as the cyclone made landfall with heavy rain and winds of up to 120km/h (75mph). Teams from the army and National Disaster Relief Force, along with two naval ships, are on standby.
Nigeria Maiduguri: Two 'young girls' used as human bombs
Two girls said to be aged seven or eight have been used to bomb a market in north-east Nigeria, killing at least one other person and wounding 18. Police in the town of Maiduguri, Borno state, say the attack happened when the market was crowded with shoppers. The girls detonated their explosives minutes apart, witnesses said. Both were killed.
Hamas offers missiles for armies willing to fight Israel
Palestinian terror group Hamas has offered to share its rocket arsenal with any Arab army willing to use them against Israel, Gaza-based Hamas official Fathi Hammad said Sunday to Al-Aqsa TV. Hamas has been manufacturing rockets on an industrial scale since it took control of the Gaza Strip, and has fired tens of thousands of projectiles during the past decade.
Analysis: Israel’s northern front – Hezbollah’s supply lines
Twice in the past week, Syria has reported an Israeli attack on military targets in the Damascus region, around 25 kilometers from the Lebanese border and approximately 50 kilometers from the border with Israel. ...This is not the first time reports have been received regarding Israeli attacks on Hezbollah weapons convoy and arms caches in Syria, aiming to thwart the transfer of Syrian weaponry to Hezbollah in Lebanon.
http://www.raptureready.com/rapnews_db.php
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World NATO is Hunting Russia's 'Carrier Killer' Submarines
NATO's anti-submarine forces are currently searching for one, possibly two, "carrier killer" Russian submarines thought to be in the vicinity of NATO warships off the coast of Syria.
Dallas Police Resignations Soar As "Insolvent" Pension System Implodes Tyler Durden's picture by Tyler Durden
A few days ago we noted that the Dallas Police and Fire Pension System (DPFP) took the unprecedented step of halting withdrawals from their DROP fund after a "run on the bank" pushed to the entire pension system, and the City of Dallas, to the brink of liquidity crisis (see "In Unprecedented Move, Dallas Pension System Suspends Withdrawals"). Now, a local CBS affiliate in Dallas is reporting that the pension crisis is driving a massive surge in police resignations.
Anti-Trump Elector Chris Suprun Paid For Ashley Madison While Bankrupt And Married With 3 Kids
Anti-Trump Texas faithless elector Stephen Christopher “Chris” Suprun, who wrote a widely-shared op-ed in The New York Times about his decision, in which he claimed ideological superiority over Trump, which would prevent him from voting for the President-elect on December 19 as he is required, joined and paid for cheating website Ashley Madison in 2012, using the same address registered to his 9/11 charity, while bankrupt, likely unemployed, and married with three young kids, after he and his working wife owed over $200,000 to multiple creditors — and that’s just the start of it.
Mexico Is Hiding The World’s Largest Pyramid
“It’s the most difficult archaeological site in all of Mexico. Bar none.” That’s Patricia Plunket Nagoda, the American-born archaeologist and anthropologist who has spent the past few decades working with Mexican anthropologist Gabriela Uruñuela at the Great Pyramid to unlock its less than forthcoming secrets.
5.5-magnitude quake hits Teluk Bintuni district
Papua (ANTARA News) - An earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale hit Teluk Bintuni district in West Papua province on Tuesday evening, causing panic among local residents.
Trump’s ‘Penny Plan’ Could Slash Federal Spending Over Decade
Trump told the New York Economic Club, “If we save just one penny of each federal dollar spent on nondefense, and non-entitlement programs, we can save almost $1 trillion over the next decade—again this is spending that does not touch defense, and that does not touch entitlements.”
http://www.raptureready.com/rapnews_db.php
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Christmas TV episode features jaw-dropping Jesus mockery, violence. Oh wait — it’s ‘Family Guy.’
Fox’s “Family Guy” has been turning mockery of Christianity and Jesus himself into big bucks for such a long time that some might say it’s pretty much become a standard menu item in a normal TV viewing diet.
Regions NORTH KOREA Drunken Kim Jong Un forces top military leaders to write apology letters -- then forgets it
Kim Jong Un is not a happy drunk. The ruthless North Korean dictator overindulged on spirits this September when he ordered several top military vets to write apology and self-criticism letters, according to a Japanese media report.
U.S. NYPD: Muslim teenager who reported harassment by Trump supporters made the story up
A Muslim teenager who reported being harassed on the New York City subway by supporters of President-elect Donald Trump fabricated the story, a New York City Police Department spokesperson told Business Insider.
Yahoo suffers world's biggest hack affecting 1 billion users
Yahoo has discovered a 3-year-old security breach that enabled a hacker to compromise more than 1 billion user accounts, breaking the company's own humiliating record for the biggest security breach in history.
Exclusive: China installs weapons systems on artificial islands - U.S. think tank
China appears to have installed weapons, including anti-aircraft and anti-missile systems, on all seven of the artificial islands it has built in the South China Sea, a U.S. think tank reported on Wednesday, citing new satellite imagery.
Keith Olbermann Is More Insane than Ever
Back in the PJTV days when I was doing a show called Kruiser Control, we had a weekly segment called the "Olbermannometer." Our job was to mock liberal media bias and Keith was an endless supply of free material. He was a loon six years ago and the time since hasn't been good to him.
Venezuelans fight to protect their savings as government pulls bills from circulation
Venezuelans are rushing to the banks this week in a desperate attempt to protect their savings from the government’s latest spasm of reckless financial policymaking.
Ami Horowitz Went Into a Muslim No-Go Area in Sweden and Got Beat Up by 5 Men
Ami Horowitz went on a fact-finding mission to Sweden to see how much the tide of Muslim immigration has harmed the Scandinavian country. He highlights the extreme rise in rapes and violence, and shows areas that police will not go into.
5.0 earthquake near the Geysers in Northern California
A magnitude 5 earthquake Wednesday morning jolted The Geysers, between Napa Valley and Clear Lake. Dishes rattled and diners looked around nervously but there was no damage when the quake shook the Cowpoke Cafe in Middletown just after 8:40 a.m., waitress Jessica Sanders said. “It really rippled through the building,” she said. “It was long, felt like it was 40 seconds.”
Nine Members of Trump’s Cabinet Identify as Christians
Pastor David Murray posed the question as to whether or not Donald Trump just might have made a recent move that serves as the literal answer to prayers that have been on many Christians’ lips these past years: the new President appointed nine members to the White House, each of whom profess publicly to be Christians.
New CRISPR gene-editing tool removes cells' natural undo button
scientists at Western University in Ontario have edited the editor, adding a new engineered enzyme to CRISPR that can help prevent the target DNA from repairing itself and canceling out the desired changes.
ACTUV unmanned sub-hunter begins operational trials
Main contractor Leidos has announced that it is starting operational trials of the robotic sub-hunter it's building for DARPA. The Anti-Submarine Warfare Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel (ACTUV) will take to the seas off the coast of San Diego, California in the coming months for tests of the unmanned ship's sensors, mission control hardware and software, and the autonomy system.
Divider-in-Chief: Obama Claims “whites in northern states” Very Different from “southern states”
Obama broad brushed white people in the northern and southern parts of the United States, claiming sentiments about him between the two regions are “very different.” Obama claims racism has affected his presidency, he has made it a point throughout his tenure to promote racial division at every opportunity.
Washington Post Reporter Warns Evangelicals about Their Rhetoric against ‘The Media’
Sarah Pulliam Bailey recently warned evangelicals about “dangerous” consequences of their rhetoric against mainstream media outlets...She argues that quality journalism is a friend to religion and that our implicit distrust of traditional journalistic organizations will work to undermine our own faith. R. Albert Mohler, President of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary continued “I would have to blame many of those very same mainstream media outlets for being part of a culture that has subverted the very idea of truth...".
Missing Piece of 400-Year-Old Prophecy Portends Russian Conquest of Israel
The prophecy, attributed to the Elijah ben Solomon Zalman, the leading Torah scholar of the 18th century known as the Vilna Gaon, states, “If the ships of the Kingdom of Russia cross the Bosphorous Straits (in Northwest Turkey), we need to put on our Shabbat clothes, because this is telling you that the coming of the Messiah is very close.” Two months ago, the Russian Navy sailed for the Mediterranean...
White House, Clinton Tied To PR Firm Behind Electoral College Push
The public relations firm working behind the scenes with the faithless electors is rife with ties to prominent Democrats like President Obama and twice-failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
NATO-Russia war billed as top risk for US in 2017, alongside terrorism – CFR survey
A NATO-Russia confrontation has been deemed a top risk by a Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) survey, conducted by foreign policy experts. This placed it alongside the risk of a nuclear crisis with North Korea and a severe terrorist attack on the US.
'Battle Royal Ahead Over Balfour'
We have already witnessed the chaotic launch of a campaign to persuade the government to apologize for Balfour – a House of Lords meeting where Jews were even accused of bringing the Holocaust on themselves.
That led to the resignation from the Liberal Democrat Party of the meeting’s host, Baroness Tonge.
Nevada and Israel Sign Water Deal in First-of-its-Kind Agreement Between a US State and Mid-East Country
The deal—reached between Nevada’s WaterStart public-private joint venture and Israel’s National Technological Innovation Authority at Monday’s BusinessH2O Summit, a one-day conference in Las Vegas organized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce—paves the way for Israeli water technology companies to eventually set up research and production facilities in the notoriously arid state of Nevada.
Devastating wildfires in Eastern forests likely to be repeated, expert warns
"Fire has played an important role historically in the forest ecosystem in the eastern United States, but the balance created by frequent—but not catastrophic—forest fires was upset by the Smokey Bear fire suppression regimen beginning in the late 1940s. Now, Eastern forests, when faced with prolonged drought, are more vulnerable to hotter-burning, terribly destructive wildfires."
Bias Alert Media types hit panic button over CIA Russia assessment
It may be time for a deep breath. In the wake of a CIA assessment that Russia interfered in the U.S. election to boost Donald Trump, some media personalities are seizing on the report as proof Moscow just installed its own version of a Manchurian candidate.
5.1 earthquake within Fiji region
The 5.1 magnitude earthquake occurred at a depth of 463 kilometres at 3:46pm this afternoon. According to the Mineral Resources Department's Seismology Unit, it was a moderate size earthquake with deep depth source location.
If Trump skews science, researchers must raise the alarm - Obama official
Scientists must confront climate change deniers and speak up if U.S. President-elect Donald Trump tries to sideline climate research, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell is due to say on Wednesday. "If you see science being ignored or compromised, speak up," Jewell will tell a meeting of earth and space scientists in San Francisco, according to a draft of the speech seen by Reuters.
France reportedly postpones Middle East peace conference
France will postpone a proposed Middle East peace conference in Paris to January next year...with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refusing to participate and US attendance in doubt. France has been trying to persuade Netanyahu, who has repeatedly rejected the conference proposal, to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the French capital to try to revive moribund peace talks between the two sides.
Yemen conflict: US cuts arms sales to Saudi Arabia
The US has said it will limit arms sales to Saudi Arabia amid concerns over civilian casualties linked to air strikes in Yemen. Precision-guided weapons will no longer be delivered, a Pentagon official said. President Barack Obama's administration said it was concerned over "flaws" in the way air strikes are targeted in Yemen.
Brazil: Clashes as Senate approves 20-year austerity plan
The Brazilian Senate has approved a controversial amendment to the constitution capping public spending for the next 20 years. The approval of the austerity measure is an important victory for President Michel Temer. He took office earlier this year promising to lead the country out of its worst recession in many decades.
US Osprey aircraft crashes off Okinawa coast in Japan
The US Marines have suspended flights of all Osprey military aircraft in Japan, after a crash off the coast of Okinawa island. The incident on Tuesday night injured five crew members onboard. It stoked immediate anger among locals, some of whom have previously complained about the US military bases and the Osprey aircraft's safety record.
Israel seeking spot on UN Security Council, Netanyahu reveals
Israel is working to become a member of the United Nations Security Council in 2019, Prime Minister Benjmain Netanyahu revealed Wednesday during a state visit to Kazakhstan. At a joint press conference at the presidential palace in the Kazakh capital of Astana, Netanyahu asked Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev for assistance in getting Israel accepted as a rotating member of the 15-member council.
Syrian forces slaughter at least 82 civilians in Aleppo
Syrian forces slaughtered at least 82 civilians — including women and children fleeing from their homes — this week in what the United Nations deemed a “complete meltdown of humanity” in the war-torn city of Aleppo.
Record-breaking wave thunders through North Atlantic
A colossal wave recorded in the North Atlantic has smashed previous records for size. The 62 foot (19 meter) wave -- captured between Iceland and the UK on February 4 2013 -- has set a new world record for the biggest wave ever recorded by a buoy, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
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Trump picks a supporter of West Bank settlements for ambassador to Israel
President-elect Donald Trump announced Thursday that he will nominate New York bankruptcy lawyer David M. Friedman as his ambassador to Israel, saying in a statement issued by his transition office that Friedman’s “strong relationships in Israel will form the foundation of his diplomatic mission.”
Some poor Venezuelan parents give away children amid deep crisis
Struggling to feed herself and her seven children, Venezuelan mother Zulay Pulgar asked a neighbor in October to take over care of her six-year-old daughter, a victim of a pummeling economic crisis.
Facebook To Decide What’s Real Vs. Fake News For Users
Social media giant Facebook has announced the site will prompt users if they attempt to share news articles disputed by third parties, the latest in an array of efforts to stifle independent media.
50 Christian Statues Defaced and Decapitated in Germany
Fifty statues of Christ and other Christian figures have been defaced and smashed apart in a crime wave sweeping parts of Germany. Statues in the Münster region in the west of Germany have been targeted over a series of months – including one of Jesus which had its head lopped off, and many more missing limbs or other fragments.
Greece passes pension deal in defiance of bailout creditors
The Greek parliament has defied the international creditors providing Athens' bailout funds and voted through a one-off payment to pensioners. Plans for the €617m (£517m; $656m) pre-Christmas handout were opposed by European bodies negotiating Greece's financial lifeline.
Maricopa Co. Sheriff's Office: "9 points of forgery" in Obama's birth certificate
According to officials, the forensic evidence was verified by two different digital document experts who live on two different continents, and neither of the two knew each other. According to officials, there are allegedly nine "points of forgery" on Obama's birth certificate, and words letters and dates, according to officials, were digitally copied and pasted.
New Study Casts Doubt On A Key Metric For Predicting Global Warming
New research suggests scientists may be wrong about a key measurement for projecting man-made global warming. Meteorologist Anthony Watts and amateur scientist Willis Eschenbach released new research suggesting “global climate sensitivity to increased carbon dioxide, and the potential feedback mechanism of increased water vapor in Earth’s atmosphere, is actually far less than postulated by the IPCC.”
Lets Give FBI Director Comey A Little Credit – He Refused To Co-Author CIA Speculative Report On Russian Interference Into 2016 Election – Why Not?
FBI Director Comey deserves some credit for refusing to put the name of the FBI on a CIA speculative report which had no “evidence” to back it up. It was done entirely to help Hillary Clinton win the Election. Lets step back in time to go over a few facts:
FBI: "No Evidence of Russian Interference in Election"
James Comey assured the president-elect there was no credible evidence that Russia influenced the outcome of the recent U.S. presidential election...Comey told Trump that James Clapper, the director of National Intelligence, agreed with this FBI assessment. The only member of the U.S. intelligence community who was ready to assert that the Russians sanctioned the hacking was John Brennan, the director of the CIA, “And Brennan takes his marching orders from...Obama.
Intel panel nixes briefing on alleged Russian interference in US election after resistance
The House Intelligence Committee abruptly canceled a briefing set for Thursday on alleged Russian interference in the U.S. election, after the CIA declined to provide a briefer for the session, Fox News is told...lawmakers, on both sides of the aisle, have backed calls for a separate congressional investigation, voicing concern that Obama’s intelligence agencies might not be able to conduct a thorough review before he leaves office.
EXCLUSIVE: FBI New York Field Office Told To Continue Clinton Foundation Probe
Officials at FBI headquarters instructed its New York field office to continue its corruption investigation into the Clinton Foundation following the election of Republican candidate Donald Trump, according to a former senior law enforcement official. The instructions ordered agents to “go forward” with their ongoing inquiry into the Clinton Foundation which is focusing on issues of corruption and money laundering, according to the source.
Three parent babies: IVF clinics told they can create children with two mothers
Clinics in Britain can now apply to create three parent babies after the fertility watchdog gave the final apporval for the procedure. The fertility technique, which was developed by British scientists, allows doctors to replace an egg’s defective mitochondrial DNA with healthy DNA from a female donor to prevent children suffering debilitating conditions such as muscular dystrophy.
La Niña no longer likely in the coming month
La Niña thresholds have not been met. Climate models and current observations suggest these patterns will not persist. The likelihood of La Niña developing in the coming months is now low, and hence the Bureau’s ENSO Outlook has shifted from La Niña WATCH to INACTIVE.
USGS upgrades earthquake near Templeton to magnitude 4.0
The first quake, which jolted residents awake at 3:58 a.m., initially registered as a magnitude-4.2, according to the USGS. That reading soon was downgraded to 3.9 before the USGS later settled on 4.0. The temblor was centered about 5.6 miles west of Templeton, according to the USGS.
Iran sanctions extension act to become law without Obama's signature
A bill extending U.S. sanctions against Iran for 10 years will become law without President Barack Obama's signature, but will not affect implementation of the international accord limiting Iran's nuclear program... "This Administration has made clear that an extension of the Iran Sanctions Act, while unnecessary, is entirely consistent with our commitments in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
ISIS takes responsibility for launching rocket at Israel from Sinai
ISIS claimed responsibility overnight Wednesday for a rocket fired at the Nitzana border crossing separating Israel and Egypt on Tuesday, despite the fact that the rocket failed to reach Israeli territory and landed in the Sinai. The terror group claimed responsibility for the rocket by publishing photos documenting what they called "shelling across the border of occupied Palestine by two Grad rockets."
Ex-British ambassador who is now a WikiLeaks operative claims Russia did NOT provide Clinton emails
A Wikileaks envoy today claims he personally received Clinton campaign emails in Washington D.C. after they were leaked by 'disgusted' whisteblowers - and not hacked by Russia. Craig Murray, former British ambassador to Uzbekistan and a close associate of ...Julian Assange, told Dailymail.com that he flew to Washington, D.C. for a clandestine hand-off with one of the email sources in September.
Brexit trade deal could take 10 years, says UK's ambassador
A post-Brexit UK-EU trade deal might take 10 years to finalise and still fail, Britain's ambassador to the EU has privately told the government. The BBC understands Sir Ivan Rogers warned ministers that the European consensus was that a deal might not be done until the early to mid-2020s. He also cautioned that an agreement could be rejected ultimately by other EU members' national parliaments.
Islamists threaten 'volcano of jihad' against Egypt after execution
Egypt executed prominent Islamist fighter Adel Habara on Thursday, state media said, days after a top court rejected his final appeal and in defiance of militant threats to ignite "a volcano of jihad" across the country. Habara, 40, was sentenced to death in 2014 for killing 25 army conscripts in Northern Sinai in August 2013. He was hanged early on Thursday after President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi signed off on the death sentence...
Activist told New York schoolchildren to become 'freedom fighters for Palestine'
A case involving pro-Palestinian activists giving an anti-Israel presentation to third grade children in Ithaca, New York last year has resurfaced this week...showing the children adopting the views of the activists. The presentation, given on September 18, 2015 at the Beverly J. Martin Elementary School, was meant to raise the topic of human rights with the third graders...
The Obama Family’s Christmas Card Doesn’t Mention Christmas
The Obamas sent out their last Christmas card from the White House, but some people have noticed a major problem with it.
The 3 Stage Plot to Assassinate Trump: Thirty Three Days to Armageddon
I have delayed writing this article for the past four days. It is not that I don’t believe in the analysis that I am going to offer in this article, I wholeheartedly do. My hesitation stems from the fact that if the globalists are successful in pulling off the following plot, America is headed for the darkest days in her history. This will mark the end of America and for most us, our lives will be turned upside down.
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Facebook Using Unreliable Liberal Fact-Checker To Fight ‘Fake News’
One of the organizations Facebook is partnering up with is Snopes, which The Daily Caller has exposed more than once butchering the truth or seemingly outright lying in service of a liberal narrative.
Russia halts evacuation of East Aleppo and announces 'liquidation' of remaining resistance
The announcement came one hour after the ministry said the evacuation of civilians from eastern Aleppo was "complete" after 9,500 people had been evacuated.
Trump’s Orthodox Zionist Ambassador Eager to Serve in ‘Eternal Capital of Israel’
Friedman, for his part, said he looks forward to serving at his new job at “the US embassy in Israel’s eternal capital, Jerusalem.” “Mr. Trump’s confidence is very flattering. My views on Israel are well-known, and I would advise him in a matter consistent with those views. America’s geo-political interests are best served by a strong and secure Israel with Jerusalem as its undivided capital.”
Judge Napolitano Drops A Bomb: US Intelligence Was Behind Hacks — Not Russia
Who had access to all of this material without having to steal any codes?” “The United States Intelligence agents who did not want this woman in charge of the federal government and exposing more agents and resources and undercover assets in the Middle East,” Napolitano said, answering his own questions.
Lynch Slips — Says No Evidence Of ‘Technical Interference’ From The Russians
Loretta Lynch stated Thursday that the United States intelligence community has not found any evidence of “technical interference” on the part of the Russian government on voting machines used in the 2016 election.
Huge hole in the ocean floor near Australia could cause catastrophic earthquakes and tsunamis
The tear in the Earth’s crust is located in the Banda Sea and measures about 60,000sq km — roughly the size of Tasmania. Geologists have now discovered the tear is one of the biggest faults on the planet and is running through the Ring of Fire, an area in the Pacific Ocean where a huge number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur.
Scientists reverse ageing in mammals and predict human trials within 10 years
An end to grey hair and crows-feet could be just 10 years away after scientists showed it is possible to reverse ageing in animals. Using a new technique which takes adult cells back to their embryonic form, US researchers at the Salk Institute in California, showed it was possible to reverse ageing in mice, allowing the animals to not only look younger, but live for 30 per cent longer.
Venezuela's 100-bolivar note withdrawal causes chaos
Venezuela's highest denomination banknote has ceased to be legal tender, in a move that has caused cash chaos and long queues at banks this week. Some cash machines on Thursday were still issuing the old 100-bolivar notes, hours before they expired. President Nicolas Maduro said new higher-denomination bills would be fully distributed in January.
Russia 'to increase mobile missile patrols'
A Russian military commander has said the army will expand mobile missile patrols in European regions of the country in 2017. Col Gen Sergei Karakayev said pontoon technology meant nuclear missiles could now be moved to new areas and "overcome practically any water obstacle". Tensions between Russia and Nato have escalated because of the annexation of Crimea and the conflict in Ukraine.
Australian republicans claim majority of MPs oppose monarchy
A majority of Australian MPs want to break ties with the British monarchy, the nation's republican lobby claims. The Australian Republican Movement says 81 of 150 MPs and 40 of 76 senators favour the move, citing public statements from the politicians. Monarchists have disputed the figures, insisting more support the status quo.
Report: Boy with suspected ISIS ties attempted to bomb German Christmas market
A 12-year old German-Iraqi boy suspected of having links to extremist group Islamic State (ISIS) tried to blow up a bomb at a Christmas market in the western town of Ludwigshafen, German magazine Focus reported on Friday, citing security and judicial sources. The boy, born in the same town in 2004, was "strongly radicalized" and apparently instructed by an unknown ISIS member, Focus reported.
Trump's Ambassador to Israel references 'embassy in Israel's eternal capital, Jerusalem'
US President-elect Donald Trump will nominate David Friedman, his long-time attorney and a campaign adviser on Jewish world issues, as US ambassador to Israel, the transition team said in a statement on Thursday. The US embassy has for decades been located in Tel Aviv. Trump had pledged during the presidential campaign to move it to Jerusalem.
IDF ready for clashes in Amona
The IDF is prepared for a possible physical confrontation with residents when the controversial Amona outpost is evacuated next week, after residents rejected a proposal to resettle at another site... While the IDF had initially hoped for a surprise evacuation before the December 25 deadline...in addition to the upcoming Hanukka holiday, has taken away the element of surprise.
What Is The Real Purpose Behind "Fake News" Propaganda?
This is one of the great tragedies of the Saul Alinsky method of political confrontation; it has bred entire generations of people who now believe that there is no objective truth. They think everything is relative. Because of this belief, they assume that there is no wrong or right side, no wrong or right goal. Instead, there are only goals that are MORE right than the goals of others. Everything boils down to a “lesser of two evils” mentality, and the ends therefore justify the means. Using dishonest measures to win the fight becomes acceptab
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Harvard Professor Admits His Efforts To Turn Electoral College Against Trump Have Failed Miserably
A few days ago we wrote about the Harvard Professor, Larry Lessig, who was offering free legal services to any Republican elector willing to consider switching their vote from Trump to any other candidate when the electoral college meets on December 19th. That said, in an interview to be aired tomorrow on "Aaron Klein Investigative Radio," the disaffected, leftist, sore loser admits that his efforts to disrupt the 2016 presidential election have been a colossal failure and will likely result in only a handful of electors switching their votes.
Venezuela Deploys National Guard As Venezuelans Protest Worthless Cash
As hyperinflating Venezuela's latest experiment in monetary lunacy continues with president Maduro announcing earlier this week he would remove 75% of the physical cash in circulation by eliminating the highest denomination 100 Bolivar bill, desperate and cashless Venezuelans, angry that the government hasn’t exchanged their voided bank notes as officials had pledged, on Friday rose up in protest and looted stores across parts of Venezuela.
"Sorry, Not Sorry" - Neither The Media Nor Their Owners Are Going To Change
The leftist heretic and popular scourge of religion Christopher Hitchens wrote in his superb Bill Clinton takedown, No One Left to Lie To, that the essence of American politics is “the manipulation of populism by elitism.” Unfortunately, this tactic didn’t work so well for the Clintons in November, as the reviled populists had the last irrational, racist, sexist, brutish and barbaric word on the matter (according to assembled liberal punditry). But the statement still rings true. This is, after all, the job description of corporate media. As The Intercept’s Glenn Greenwald says, the “supreme religion of the U.S. press corps is reverence for power.”
‘Russia didn’t let terrorists capture Damascus’ – Russian UN envoy
Russia’s engagement in the Syrian crisis prevented militants from gaining control over Damascus, cut down their military and economic base and helped win back some captured Syrian territories, Russia’s UN envoy Vitaly Churkin told the UN Security Council.
Quake hits east of Papua New Guinea, tsunami warnings scaled back
A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 7.9 struck 157 km (98 miles) east of Rabaul in Papua New Guinea on Saturday, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported, prompting a warning about tsunami waves across parts of the archipelago. "Tsunami waves have been observed... warning that waves reaching one to three meters above the tide level were possible along some of Papua New Guinea's coastlines.
Venezuela's 100-bolivar note withdrawal causes chaos
Venezuela's highest denomination banknote has ceased to be legal tender, in a move that has caused cash chaos and long queues at banks. Protests against the move led to looting in parts of the country, with shops attacked and roads blocked. Some cash machines on Thursday were still issuing the old 100-bolivar notes, hours before they expired.
Turkish bus attack: 13 off-duty soldiers killed by car bomb
A suspected suicide car bomb in Turkey has killed 13 soldiers aboard a bus and wounded 55 more, Turkish officials say. The blast destroyed a bus carrying soldiers who had been allowed to visit a local market. An army spokesman said civilians may also have been injured. Images from the scene showed the bus reduced to a smouldering wreck with a massive hole punched in one side.
Polish protesters block parliament over press freedom
Protesters have blockaded the Polish parliament in Warsaw in support of opposition MPs unhappy about new rules restricting press reporting. Police intervened to clear a path for government officials to leave by car after a late-night stand-off. Poland's populist right-wing government wants to limit the number of reporters allowed to cover parliament.
China, US militaries 'in talks' over underwater drone seizure
Military officials from China and the US are in talks over the return of an underwater drone seized by the Chinese in international waters, China says. The Chinese navy seized the US research vessel in the South China Sea on Thursday. The incident - among the most serious between the two powers in years - took place just as oceanographic ship the USNS Bowditch was about to retrieve it.
Burkina Faso militant attack: Twelve soldiers killed
Twelve soldiers have been killed and two are missing after an attack by Islamist militants near Burkina Faso's border with Mali, the army has said. Insurgents who carried out the attack did so on pick-up trucks and motorbikes, waving black flags. The soldiers were in the area to guard Burkina Faso's long and porous border with Mali, where a number of Islamist groups are active.
How did South Carolina pioneer BDS legislation?
Ohio became the 15th US state to pass legislation banning business with companies that boycott, divest from or sanction Israel last week, joining an effort that began in May and June 2015 with Illinois and South Carolina. Illinois might not have surprised anyone with its nearly 300,000-strong Jewish constituency in Chicago and surrounding suburbs. But South Carolina, which has only some 20,000 Jews, raised eyebrows.
Here's why we should worry that China is no longer the top holder of US bonds
China's moves to weaken its currency in an "orderly fashion" and boost slowing economic growth is costing a lot of money, and the world's second-largest economy has been selling U.S. Treasurys to help finance the efforts, analyst Peter Boockvar told CNBC on Friday.
1000 Radical Muslims Protest in London, Call for the Return of the Islamic Caliphate
hose angry white Anglo-Saxon Protestant men are at it again in Britain. Wait. Scratch that: MORE than 1000 Muslims took to the streets of London last night chanting Allahu Akbar and demanding an Islamic caliphate.
Michelle Obama says America is entering a time of hopelessness
With fewer than 40 days remaining as first lady, Michelle Obama is continuing to reflect on the legacy she and President Obama will leave after having occupied the White House for the last eight years. In a new interview with Oprah Winfrey, the first lady addressed the election outcome and suggested that the U.S. is entering a time of hopelessness.
BuzzFeed And The NYDN: Click-Bait Headlines, False Stories, And Virtually Nonexistent Retractions
In Thursday, December 1st, Yasmin Seweid was allegedly assaulted by Trump supporters in NYC. According to BuzzFeed and the NY Daily News, the attack took place at the uptown 6 train stop at 23rd Street in midtown Manhattan. The assaliants allegedly called Seweid a terrorist, broke her bag strap, followed her when she tried to get away from them, and tried but were unable to pull her hijab off of her head. Both Tamerra Griffin and Ben Kochman, the authors for BuzzFeed and the NYDN stories, did not include any additional sources for their story, other than Seweid’s personal account and a statement from police that the “investigation was ongoing” with no further comment.
Maiduguri overwhelmed by victims of Boko Haram insurgency
Ali Bukar didn't know anyone when he arrived in Maiduguri with 43 people in tow and not a coin in his pocket. Bukar was fleeing the brutal killings of civilians by the Boko Haram Islamists in northeast Nigeria -- along with his wives, his sons, their wives and grandchildren.
Series of earthquakes hit west of Templeton
Six earthquakes ranging in magnitude from 4.0 to 1.6 were reported in the Templeton area beginning early Wednesday morning.
Magnitude 5.0 Quake Hits Chile’s Northern Coquimbo Region
A magnitude 5.0 earthquake has occurred on the coast of Chile, in the northern region of Coquimbo, the US Geological Survey (USGS) informs.
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Foreigners are dumping US Treasurys
All kinds of things are now happening in the world of bonds that haven’t happened before. For example, authorities in China today halted trading for the first time ever in futures contracts of government bonds, after prices had swooned, with the 10-year yield hitting 3.4%. Trading didn’t resume until after the People’s Bank of China injected $22 billion into the short-term money market.
Jordan says 10 killed in 'cowardly terrorist attack'
Ten people were killed and 34 were wounded Sunday in what a Jordanian official called a "cowardly terrorist attack."
Maryland church ordered to evict homeless or pay $12,000 fine
When Rev. Katie Grover arrived on a recent morning at Patapsco United Methodist Church, one of two congregations she pastors in the Baltimore area, she was surprised to find a $12,000 citation attached to the door.
DNC Chair Contradicts Obama: Russian Hackers Came After Us 'Until End of Election'
Democratic National Committee Chair Donna Brazile said Russian hackers persisted in trying to break into the organization's computers "daily, hourly" until after the election -- contradicting President Obama's assertion that the hacking stopped in September after he warned Russian President Vladimir Putin to "cut it out."
North Korea’s Nuclear Arsenal More Dangerous Than Previously Thought
North Korea has long-range nuclear warheads which can reach Britain, continental Europe and the United States, a South Korean government official reportedly said Saturday. The statement came amid reports that the military of the Kim Jong Un-ruled country is now capable of attaching nuclear warheads to missiles which can travel a few thousand miles.
Quake off Solomons and Papua New Guinea is region’s third strong quake in two weeks
A 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck off the Solomon Islands on Sunday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, the third strong tremor off the Pacific nation in less than two weeks.
4.5M earthquake recorded south of Hawaii Island
An offshore magnitude-4.5 earthquake south of Hawaii Island happened at 6:30 a.m. Sunday. The earthquake was centered about 37 miles south of Ka Lae (South Point) at a depth of 22.7 miles. The earthquake was felt on the island,
6.1 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Peru, No Injuries Reported
An earthquake of 6.1 magnitude struck Sunday in Peru near the border with Brazil but no damage was reported, the government said. The quake hit 60 miles southeast of the town of Esperanza at a depth of 550 kilometers, the Geophysical Institute of Peru said.
Ex-Witch Reveals Connection Between Yoga and Satan
...there is such a huge controversy around yoga," Eckert says. "If you look at yoga, it just seems like this great way to get healthy and align your body and your spirit and stretch, and people just absolutely love it." But don't be deceived.
Earthquake strikes Papua New Guinea: Residents flee to hills after magnitude-7.9 quake
A magnitude-7.9 earthquake struck east of the Pacific nation, triggering a tsunami warning for parts of the archipelago. Residents living along Papua New Guinea’s coastline have fled to higher ground as a result.
Snopes, Which Will Be Fact-Checking For Facebook, Employs Leftists Almost Exclusively
Snopes, which will now have the power to declare what news is or is not legitimate on the world’s largest online platform, almost exclusively employs leftists. Facebook announced Thursday that mythbusting website Snopes will be one of a few fact-checking organizations allowed to label stories as “fake news.”
Report: 820,000 criminal illegals, 84% with felonies, serious misdemeanors
Illegal immigrants with criminal records...total at least 820,000, with most having felony and serious misdemeanor convictions, according to a new report. Some estimates have suggested up to two million criminal illegals, but the numbers cited by the Center for Immigration Studies still show an enormous group larger than the populations of four states, Alaska, North Dakota, Vermont or Wyoming.
U.S. to disclose estimate of number of Americans under surveillance
The U.S. intelligence community will soon disclose an estimate of the number of Americans whose electronic communications have been caught in the crosshairs of online surveillance programs intended for foreigners, U.S. lawmakers said in a letter seen by Reuters on Friday. The estimate, requested by members of the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, is expected to be made public as early as next month, the letter said.
IS suicide bomb kills 40 Yemen soldiers in payday queue
A suicide bomber has killed at least 40 soldiers and wounded many more in the southern Yemeni port city of Aden. Reports say the soldiers were queuing up to receive salaries near a military base when the attacker struck. The bomber immersed himself in the crowd of soldiers at al-Solban base in al-Arish district, an official said.
Venezuela delays 100-bolivar banknote withdrawal
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro has delayed the withdrawal of the 100-bolivar banknote until 2 January. The sudden change of policy comes after days of economic chaos. In a national broadcast, Mr Maduro claimed his country had been the victim of international sabotage, which had prevented new 500-bolivar currency notes arriving in time.
China to return seized US underwater drone, Pentagon says
The Pentagon says it has "secured an understanding" with China that it will return an underwater drone seized in the South China Sea. China captured the US vessel in international waters on Thursday. It has not explained why and accused the US of "hyping-up" the incident. US President-elect Donald Trump accused the Chinese of "stealing".
Bennett: 'Amona deal heralds end of settlement evacuations, dawn of Israeli sovereignty in W. Bank
The proposal hammered out overnight to prevent a forceful evacuation of Amona will hopefully put behind the era of settlement evacuations and the idea of two-states, and herald an era of Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria... ...The proposal would move 24 families to an eight-dunam site next to the existing location. In addition, efforts would be made to acquire another 50 dunam site nearby for expansion.
Trump donated $10k to Bet El settlement
US President-elect Donald Trump donated $10,000 to Bet El in the West Bank in 2003, according to documents uncovered by The Jerusalem Post Sunday. A Trump Foundation tax form from 2003 shows Trump gave the sum to American Friends of Bet El. Other Jewish organizations to which the Trump Foundation donated that year are UJA-Federation, American Jewish Committee and American Jewish Historical Society.
In Pakistan, five girls were killed for having fun. Then the story took an even darker twist.
It was just a few seconds, a video clip of several young women laughing and clapping to music, dressed for a party or a wedding in orange headscarves and robes with floral patterns. Then a few more seconds of a young man dancing alone, apparently in the same room. The cellphone video was made six years ago, in a village deep in Kohistan, a rugged area of northwest Pakistan. It was the last time the young women, known only as Bazeegha, Sareen Jan, Begum Jan, Amina and Shaheen, have ever been definitively seen alive.
Trump Rebuts Michelle Obama’s Remarks on the Loss of ‘Hope’
President-elect Donald Trump took issue Saturday with First Lady Michelle Obama’s contention that she and others are now feeling the loss of “hope,” saying there is good reason for Americans to feel optimistic about the nation’s future.
Trump ambassador, son-in-law could upend decades of U.S. policy on Israel and Palestinians
Here in the desert hills of the West Bank, near the Palestinians’ principal city of Ramallah, a group of Orthodox Jews has built the town of Beit El, a place that most of the world considers an illegal settlement constructed on occupied Palestinian land.
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Foreigners are dumping US Treasurys
All kinds of things are now happening in the world of bonds that haven’t happened before. For example, authorities in China today halted trading for the first time ever in futures contracts of government bonds, after prices had swooned, with the 10-year yield hitting 3.4%. Trading didn’t resume until after the People’s Bank of China injected $22 billion into the short-term money market.
Jordan says 10 killed in 'cowardly terrorist attack'
Ten people were killed and 34 were wounded Sunday in what a Jordanian official called a "cowardly terrorist attack."
Maryland church ordered to evict homeless or pay $12,000 fine
When Rev. Katie Grover arrived on a recent morning at Patapsco United Methodist Church, one of two congregations she pastors in the Baltimore area, she was surprised to find a $12,000 citation attached to the door.
DNC Chair Contradicts Obama: Russian Hackers Came After Us 'Until End of Election'
Democratic National Committee Chair Donna Brazile said Russian hackers persisted in trying to break into the organization's computers "daily, hourly" until after the election -- contradicting President Obama's assertion that the hacking stopped in September after he warned Russian President Vladimir Putin to "cut it out."
North Korea’s Nuclear Arsenal More Dangerous Than Previously Thought
North Korea has long-range nuclear warheads which can reach Britain, continental Europe and the United States, a South Korean government official reportedly said Saturday. The statement came amid reports that the military of the Kim Jong Un-ruled country is now capable of attaching nuclear warheads to missiles which can travel a few thousand miles.
Quake off Solomons and Papua New Guinea is region’s third strong quake in two weeks
A 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck off the Solomon Islands on Sunday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, the third strong tremor off the Pacific nation in less than two weeks.
4.5M earthquake recorded south of Hawaii Island
An offshore magnitude-4.5 earthquake south of Hawaii Island happened at 6:30 a.m. Sunday. The earthquake was centered about 37 miles south of Ka Lae (South Point) at a depth of 22.7 miles. The earthquake was felt on the island,
6.1 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Peru, No Injuries Reported
An earthquake of 6.1 magnitude struck Sunday in Peru near the border with Brazil but no damage was reported, the government said. The quake hit 60 miles southeast of the town of Esperanza at a depth of 550 kilometers, the Geophysical Institute of Peru said.
Ex-Witch Reveals Connection Between Yoga and Satan
...there is such a huge controversy around yoga," Eckert says. "If you look at yoga, it just seems like this great way to get healthy and align your body and your spirit and stretch, and people just absolutely love it." But don't be deceived.
Earthquake strikes Papua New Guinea: Residents flee to hills after magnitude-7.9 quake
A magnitude-7.9 earthquake struck east of the Pacific nation, triggering a tsunami warning for parts of the archipelago. Residents living along Papua New Guinea’s coastline have fled to higher ground as a result.
Snopes, Which Will Be Fact-Checking For Facebook, Employs Leftists Almost Exclusively
Snopes, which will now have the power to declare what news is or is not legitimate on the world’s largest online platform, almost exclusively employs leftists. Facebook announced Thursday that mythbusting website Snopes will be one of a few fact-checking organizations allowed to label stories as “fake news.”
Report: 820,000 criminal illegals, 84% with felonies, serious misdemeanors
Illegal immigrants with criminal records...total at least 820,000, with most having felony and serious misdemeanor convictions, according to a new report. Some estimates have suggested up to two million criminal illegals, but the numbers cited by the Center for Immigration Studies still show an enormous group larger than the populations of four states, Alaska, North Dakota, Vermont or Wyoming.
U.S. to disclose estimate of number of Americans under surveillance
The U.S. intelligence community will soon disclose an estimate of the number of Americans whose electronic communications have been caught in the crosshairs of online surveillance programs intended for foreigners, U.S. lawmakers said in a letter seen by Reuters on Friday. The estimate, requested by members of the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, is expected to be made public as early as next month, the letter said.
IS suicide bomb kills 40 Yemen soldiers in payday queue
A suicide bomber has killed at least 40 soldiers and wounded many more in the southern Yemeni port city of Aden. Reports say the soldiers were queuing up to receive salaries near a military base when the attacker struck. The bomber immersed himself in the crowd of soldiers at al-Solban base in al-Arish district, an official said.
Venezuela delays 100-bolivar banknote withdrawal
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro has delayed the withdrawal of the 100-bolivar banknote until 2 January. The sudden change of policy comes after days of economic chaos. In a national broadcast, Mr Maduro claimed his country had been the victim of international sabotage, which had prevented new 500-bolivar currency notes arriving in time.
China to return seized US underwater drone, Pentagon says
The Pentagon says it has "secured an understanding" with China that it will return an underwater drone seized in the South China Sea. China captured the US vessel in international waters on Thursday. It has not explained why and accused the US of "hyping-up" the incident. US President-elect Donald Trump accused the Chinese of "stealing".
Bennett: 'Amona deal heralds end of settlement evacuations, dawn of Israeli sovereignty in W. Bank
The proposal hammered out overnight to prevent a forceful evacuation of Amona will hopefully put behind the era of settlement evacuations and the idea of two-states, and herald an era of Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria... ...The proposal would move 24 families to an eight-dunam site next to the existing location. In addition, efforts would be made to acquire another 50 dunam site nearby for expansion.
Trump donated $10k to Bet El settlement
US President-elect Donald Trump donated $10,000 to Bet El in the West Bank in 2003, according to documents uncovered by The Jerusalem Post Sunday. A Trump Foundation tax form from 2003 shows Trump gave the sum to American Friends of Bet El. Other Jewish organizations to which the Trump Foundation donated that year are UJA-Federation, American Jewish Committee and American Jewish Historical Society.
In Pakistan, five girls were killed for having fun. Then the story took an even darker twist.
It was just a few seconds, a video clip of several young women laughing and clapping to music, dressed for a party or a wedding in orange headscarves and robes with floral patterns. Then a few more seconds of a young man dancing alone, apparently in the same room. The cellphone video was made six years ago, in a village deep in Kohistan, a rugged area of northwest Pakistan. It was the last time the young women, known only as Bazeegha, Sareen Jan, Begum Jan, Amina and Shaheen, have ever been definitively seen alive.
Trump Rebuts Michelle Obama’s Remarks on the Loss of ‘Hope’
President-elect Donald Trump took issue Saturday with First Lady Michelle Obama’s contention that she and others are now feeling the loss of “hope,” saying there is good reason for Americans to feel optimistic about the nation’s future.
Trump ambassador, son-in-law could upend decades of U.S. policy on Israel and Palestinians
Here in the desert hills of the West Bank, near the Palestinians’ principal city of Ramallah, a group of Orthodox Jews has built the town of Beit El, a place that most of the world considers an illegal settlement constructed on occupied Palestinian land.
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Twice As Many “Faithless” Electors Dump Clinton As Trump
While there was a lot of buzz about faithless Republican electors dumping Trump, it turns out that more Democratic electors dumped Clinton. Specifically, two Republican Texas electors voted for candidates other than Trump: one voted for John Kasich and one voted for Ron Paul. But four Democratic electors voted for candidates other than Hillary Clinton:
Italian Muslim convert found guilty of helping Islamic State
An Italian woman who traveled to Syria two years ago proclaiming her support for Islamic State was sentenced in absentia on Monday to nine years in jail on terrorism-related charges, a court ruled.
Suspect in Berlin Christmas market attack came to Germany as refugee, reports say
The man believed to have driven a truck into a crowded Christmas market in Berlin Monday evening had come to Germany as a refugee from Pakistan this past February, multiple German media outlets reported.
I.M.F. Stands by Christine Lagarde, Convicted of Negligence
The International Monetary Fund threw its support behind its leader, Christine Lagarde, on Monday despite her conviction in a French court on charges of misusing public funds.
Saddam Hussein had no clue what he was doing
The revelations are contained in the upcoming John Nixon book “Debriefing the President: The Interrogation of Saddam Hussein.” Nixon was a CIA analyst in Iraq who had been assigned the task of finding Saddam and then getting information out of him. But he quickly found that “Saddam seemed clueless.”
Donald Trump Seals Electoral College Victory, Officially Becomes 45th US President
It's finally over: Donald Trump has secured 304 Electoral Votes following the Texas vote (with 2 faithless electors), officially securing the presidency of the United States. Of course, the now official President-Elect Trump took to twitter to confirm the victory:
Russian Ambassador to Turkey Killed; Gunman Shouted 'Don't Forget Aleppo'
Russia’s ambassador was shot dead in the Turkish capital on Monday in an assassination apparently linked to Syria’s civil war, heightening tensions over a conflict that’s drawn in almost all the region’s main powers.
Time to face reality, Obama — Trump is going to be president
So this is how it ends — in a whimper wrapped in self-pity and recriminations. With President Obama on the defensive at his final press conference and Hillary Clinton’s last campaign event resembling a wake, the Democratic Party is limping off the stage and into the political winter..the Dems are at their lowest point in nearly a century..they are on the outside looking in.
Strong Earthquakes Rattle Coast of Ecuador
The strongest quake in the series hit with 5.8 magnitude around 2:00 a.m. local time Monday morning near Atacames. Several strong earthquakes rattled Ecuador's northwestern coast in the pre-dawn hours of Monday, leaving some areas without power but with no reports of casualties.
Christmas weather forecast HORROR: Terrifying maps show Storm Barbara will RAVAGE Britain
Forecasters have in the past 24 hours stepped up warnings for severe gales, torrential downpours and thunder over the festive season. A major change in the weather is due with Scotland in the firing line for the first hammering. Britain faces a brutal week of gales and torrential rain with plunging temperatures threatening snow over high ground. All eyes are then on a double whammy of storm hell which is due to unleash mayhem from Christmas Eve.
Mossad chief gives secret intelligence briefing to Trump staff
Mossad chief makes clandestine trip to US to meet with incoming Trump administration.
IDF uncovers massive weapons factory in Hevron
Israeli forces shut down one of the largest underground gun factories ever discovered in Judea and Samaria.
Pentagon Faces ‘Significant’ Cyber Security Challenges
The Pentagon faces “significant” cyber security challenges as the U.S. military becomes reliant on electronic networks and infrastructure to conduct its operations, according to the Defense Department’s inspector general.
Report: Documents show U.S. has approved sale of Chicago Stock Exchange to Chinese firm
The sale of the Chicago Stock Exchange to a Chinese investment group has been approved, according to U.S. Treasury documents. The sale was approved by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to a Chinese group led by Chongqing Casin Enterprise Group despite the objections of several U.S. lawmakers who cited concerns about the level of influence the Chinese state might gain over the Chicago exchange, Reuters reported.
U.S. electors expected to officially confirm Trump victory
The U.S. Electoral College is expected on Monday to officially select Republican Donald Trump as the next president...
Russia, Iran and Turkey to hold Syria talks in Moscow on Tuesday
The foreign and defense ministers of Russia, Iran and Turkey will discuss the future of Syria and the city of Aleppo at talks in Moscow on Tuesday, Turkish and Russian officials said. "(The meeting) will be to understand the views of all three sides, laying out where we all stand and discuss where we go from here," an official from Turkey's foreign ministry told international media in Istanbul on Monday.
4.6-magnitude earthquake shakes Guam
A magnitude 4.6 earthquake shook Guam on Monday afternoon. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the epicenter struck about 21 miles north-northeast of Yigo village, at 12:29 p.m. The quake had a depth of about 75 miles.
Muted U.S. Response to China’s Seizure of Drone Worries Asian Allies
...In the eyes of America’s friends in Asia, the brazen maneuver to launch an operation against an American Navy vessel in international waters in the South China Sea...has raised questions...It was ...seen by some as a taunt to President-elect Donald J. Trump, who has challenged the One China policy on Taiwan and has vowed to deal forcefully with Beijing in trade and other issues.
Farrakhan sees a new opening for black separatist message
Minister Louis Farrakhan, head of the Nation of Islam, spoke from a podium draped in the...Pan-African flag, a symbol of black pride. ...In a speech before the State of the Black World Conference in New Jersey, he warned, "The white man is going to push. He...will limit the freedom of others." Then he pointed to the crowd, smiled and said, "That's what you needed," as motivation to finally separate from whites.
Jewish settlers agree to leave Amona site in occupied West Bank
Residents of a Jewish outpost in the occupied West Bank have agreed to evacuate the area just one week before the deadline for eviction. The community of Amona accepted a government relocation proposal with 45 votes in favour and 29 against. Sunday's decision comes after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Ukraine army 'repulsed rebel attack' near Debaltseve in east
Ukraine says its army has repulsed an offensive by pro-Russian rebels in the east who sought to seize territory near the strategic town of Debaltseve. The Ukrainian military command said five of its troops and 25 rebels were killed in heavy fighting on Sunday. The figures could not be independently verified. It is the most serious flare-up for several weeks on the front line.
Irish senators slammed for anti-Israel bias
Irish senators attacked Israel with accusations of apartheid during a parliamentary debate in late November about the closure of the bank account of a BDS group, prompting criticism on Friday from the Jewish state and the Simon Wiesenthal Center. “What has happened with Bank of Ireland is very sinister.
IDF tanks fire at Hamas targets in response to Gaza border shooting
Shots were fired at IDF troops stationed on the border near the southern Gaza Strip on Monday morning, the military said. There were no reports of injury or damage in the incident. Shortly afterward, the IDF responded with tank fire targeting Gaza-based Hamas positions.
Suicide bomber kills at least 52 soldiers in Yemen
A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a military camp in the southern Yemeni city of Aden on Sunday morning, killing at least 52 soldiers, a security official said. The Islamic State group's Yemen-based affiliate claimed responsibility.
Trump Can't Stop It: "The People Who Have Been Orchestrating The Collapse Have Not Halted Their Agendas"
Not since the election of Ronald Reagan has the mood on the right shifted in such a positive direction so suddenly. But now that everyone is feeling so good about things, very few people still seem interested in prepping for hard times ahead. In fact, it is like a nuclear bomb went off in the prepping community.
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Ephemeral antimatter atoms pinned down in milestone laser test
..physicists have made the first measurements of how antimatter atoms absorb light. Researchers at CERN, the European particle physics laboratory outside Geneva, trained an ultraviolet laser on antihydrogen, the antimatter counterpart of hydrogen. They measured the frequency of light needed to jolt a positron — an antielectron — from its lowest energy level to the next level up, and found no discrepancy with the corresponding energy transition in ordinary hydrogen.
Strong quake strikes near Solomon Islands; no tsunami threat
A strong earthquake struck near the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific on Tuesday, but there were no initial reports of injuries or damage and it did not trigger a tsunami warning. The magnitude-6.7 quake was likely an aftershock of a powerful earthquake that hit the Solomon Islands on Dec. 9.
CNN Uses Germany Attack To Bash The Right
The attack in Berlin killed at least 12 people and injured dozens more, but on CNN’s website, the network’s top story warned about “the fallout of fear” and said that “attacks fuel [the] far right’s assault on democracy.”
Putin VOWS to OBLITERATE ISIS after assassination of Russia's ambassador to Turkey
He said the assassination of his country’s ambassador to Turkey was “clearly a provocation” and vowed vowed to make those responsible “feel the heat”. "The only response we should offer to this murder is stepping up our fight against terror.
Trump condemns Berlin attack, says things 'only getting worse'
U.S. President....Donald Trump on Monday condemned an attack at a Christmas market in Berlin that killed nine people and injured dozens more, linking the attack to "Islamist terrorists" before German police officials had said who was responsible.
German state minister: "We are in a state of war"
"We must say that we are in a state of war, although some people, who always only want to see good, do not want to see this," the minister, Klaus Bouillon, told German broadcaster SR.
First test of rival to Einstein’s gravity kills off dark matter
A controversial approach to gravity that challenges Albert Einstein and suggests dark matter doesn’t exist has passed its first test. astronomers studying the distribution of matter in more than 30,000 galaxies say their observations can be explained by an alternative theory that does away with dark matter. If this “modified gravity” is correct, it would up-end hundreds of years of fundamental physics.
Federal judge orders release of search warrant from Clinton email case
U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel ruled Monday morning that the public had a right to see the warrant, which he said was secretly filed with the court on Oct. 30. “The search warrant, the application for the search warrant, the affidavit in support of the application for the search warrant, and the search warrant return will be unsealed and posted on the Court's electronic case filing system” subject to redactions, Castel said in his order.
US shuts its missions in Turkey after gunfire on Ankara embassy
A man in his 40s aimed automatic gunfire at the US embassy in Ankara Tuesday morning and was taken into custody. No one was hurt.
Trump Wins Electoral College Vote, Officially Elected 45th President
Donald Trump easily won the nationwide Electoral College vote on Monday, surpassing the minimum 270 votes needed to officially become the president-elect of the United States. The billionaire businessman became America’s 45th president after electors in Texas put him over the 270-vote threshold, despite anti-Trump protests and multiple campaigns to try to flip electors to support other candidates.
Europe’s Far-Right Anger Is Moving Mainstream
In the wake of the Brexit vote in Britain and the recent Italian referendum, and with national elections looming in 2017 in the Netherlands, France, and Germany, there is concern that Europe may be inundated by a populist wave, driven in large part by right-wing parties exploiting anti-globalization, anti-immigrant, and anti-Muslim sentiments.
HB2 law: North Carolina to repeal 'bathroom bill'
North Carolina lawmakers will repeal a controversial HB2 law which limits protections offered to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. Democratic Governor-elect Roy Cooper announced the repeal after Charlotte City Council voted to strike down a local law that prompted HB2. The law requires transgender people to use toilets that correspond to the sex listed on their birth certificates.
China returns seized underwater US drone
A US underwater drone seized by the Chinese navy in the contentious South China Sea has now been returned. The drone was handed over some 92km north-west of Subic Bay in the Philippines, officials said. China seized the vehicle in international waters, in one of the most serious confrontations between the powers in decades.
Russian official in Israel: Envoy's murder in Turkey will up Moscow's strikes in Syria
The assassination of Russia’s ambassador to Turkey in Ankara on Monday will lead to Moscow to increased its military involvement in the Syrian civil war, said Russian Deputy Ambassador to Israel Alexy Drobinin. The Russian diplomat made the remarks in an interview with Israel’s Channel 10 TV on Monday night. His comments came after an off-duty Turkish police officer shot and killed Russian envoy Andrei Karlov at an art gallery...
Global Jewish leaders send condolences to Berlin Christmas market victims
“Europe once again finds itself in shock,” a top European rabbi said Tuesday, the morning after a deadly attack at a Christmas market in Berlin, which killed 12 people and wounded 48 others. “This was a cowardly attack on people preparing for their religious holidays in a joyful environment,” said Chief Rabbi Goldschmidt, President of the Conference of European Rabbis.
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World Home U.N. Conflicts Terrorism Disasters Global Economy Environment Religion Scandals Regions EUROPE Kremlin calls US-Russia ties
The Kremlin hopes that Donald Trump's administration will help improve the strained Russia-U.S. ties that it describes as "frozen," but it doesn't expect any immediate breakthroughs, President Vladimir Putin's spokesman said Wednesday.
Tunisian suspect in Berlin Christmas market attack faced past German terror probe, official says
The prime suspect sought in the deadly attack on a Berlin Christmas market — a 24-year-old Tunisian migrant — was the subject of a terrorism probe in Germany earlier this year and was not deported even though his asylum bid was rejected, a senior German official said Wednesday.
Three consequences of China’s ‘airpocalypse’
China is spluttering under sky-high pollution levels which have brought factories, roads and schools to a standstill for several days. State news agency Xinhua reported Tuesday that 23 cities in the Middle Kingdom have activated red alerts, the most severe weather warning. Xinhua also cited Beijing Capital International Airport's official Weibo account, which said that as of 2pm Tuesday, 273 flights had been cancelled.
Gingrich says Trump is done with ‘drain the swamp’ slogan
Donald Trump fired up campaign crowds with a promise to “drain the swamp” of Washington corruption. But former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says the president-elect has soured on that populist rallying cry now that he has won the White House.
Baby Boomers Increasingly Having Social Security Checks Garnished To Cover Student Loan Payments
According to a new report from the Government Accountability Office, the federal government is increasingly garnishing Social Security benefits to help cover student loans payments owed by baby boomers. According the Wall Street Journal, a total of $1.1 billion has been garnished since 2001 with $171 million being collected in 2015 alone.
Obama shock: Another $6 billion in 'midnight regulations'
President Obama, who this week has issued a flurry of environmental rules, is planning to unleash another set of "midnight regulations" right before he leaves office that will cost Americans $6 billion.
Black Man Arrested In "Vote Trump" Arson Of Mississippi Black Church
Mississippi authorities have made an arrest in the burning of an African-American church spray-painted with the words, “Vote Trump.” Mississippi Department of Public Safety spokesman Warren Strain says Andrew McClinton of Leland, Mississippi, who is African-American, is charged with first-degree arson of a place of worship.
Third Temple on the Way as Priests Prepare Ritual Shabbat Showbreads
Last Saturday, a Shabbat reenactment of a Temple ritual took place in the holy city of Hebron, giving participants a taste of the Temple service as it was in Biblical times while taking a practical step towards preparing for the Third Temple.
Harry Reid Says He ‘Did What Was Necessary’ By Lying About Mitt Romney’s Tax Returns
Outgoing Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said Wednesday that he “did what was necessary” in 2012 when he falsely accused Mitt Romney of not having paid his taxes for 10 years....in an interview with The Washington Post in September, Reid said that lying about Romney’s taxes on the Senate floor was “one of the best things I’ve ever done.”
Media Blackout On Obama’s Last-Minute Civil Rights Appointments
Liberal news outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post and CNN are keeping their readers in the dark about two aggressive appointments to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights made by President Obama with just weeks remaining in his presidency.
Moscow doubts killer of ambassador was a lone wolf
The spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday refused to offer theories behind Monday's assassination of the Russian ambassador to Turkey but indicated that Moscow doesn't believe the gunman acted on his own.
Naples astride a rumbling mega-volcano
A slumbering Campi Flegrei volcano under the Italian city of Naples shows signs of "reawakening" and may be nearing a critical pressure point, according to a study published Tuesday. Italian and French scientists have for the first time identified a threshold beyond which rising magma under the Earth's surface could trigger the release of fluids and gases at a 10-fold increased rate.
'The Christmas tree and TV were swaying' - East Timor quake felt as far away as Darwin
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake which struck today near East Timor was felt as far afield as Darwin in Australia.
Israel's Spacecom buys Boeing satellite for $161 million, to launch in 2019
Israeli satellite operator Space Communications said on Wednesday it would launch a new telecommunications satellite in 2019 after losing a prior one in an explosion. Spacecom said it was buying a satellite from Boeing Satellite Systems International for $161 million.
Kremlin slams new U.S. sanctions, says may respond
The Kremlin said on Wednesday that new sanctions imposed on Russia by the United States would damage relations between the two countries and that Moscow would respond with its own measures. "We regret that Washington is continuing on this destructive path," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call.
ISIS spreads locations of Russian embassies online to incite more attacks…
ISIS are spreading the locations of Russian embassies in a sick bid to incite more attacks on officials. Jihadis disseminated a PDF containing the addresses and contact information of Russian embassies following the shock slaughter of Moscow’s envoy to Ankara and the attack on a bustling Christmas market in Berlin on Monday.
'Refugee' resettlement accelerates in Obama's final months
Through the first 11 weeks of fiscal year 2017, the United States welcomed 23,428 individuals as “refugees,” according to the Refugee Processing Center. At this rate, the U.S. will resettle roughly 110,580 this fiscal year, which would exceed President Obama’s target of 110,000. Contrast that with last year, when the U.S. welcomed only 13,786 “refugees” through the first 11 weeks of FY 2016.
Obama bans oil drilling 'permanently' in millions of acres of ocean
Outgoing US President Barack Obama has permanently banned offshore oil and gas drilling in the "vast majority" of US-owned northern waters. Mr Obama designated areas in the Arctic and Atlantic oceans as "indefinitely off limits" to future leasing. The move is widely seen as an attempt to protect the region before Mr Obama leaves office in January.
Iraq bomb attack targets Iranian Kurdish opposition party
Seven people have been killed and 15 wounded in a bomb attack on the offices of an Iranian Kurdish opposition party in northern Iraq, security sources say. A parked motorcycle and an explosive device were detonated late on Tuesday next to the headquarters of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) in Koy Sanjaq, east of Irbil. The attack took place as party members celebrated the winter solstice.
EU data retention ruling goes against UK government
The UK government says it is "disappointed" after the European Court of Justice said the "indiscriminate" collection of data was against EU law. EU judges said communications data could only be retained if it was used to fight serious crime. Its verdict came after a legal challenge to the UK government's surveillance legislation.
Israeli forces secure Jerusalem for tens of thousands ahead of Christmas
Border Police have concluded security preparations to accommodate tens of thousands of Christian tourists from across the globe making pilgrimages to Bethlehem and the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City for the Christmas period. ...Izhaky added: “It’s about security, but also about respect, so people can travel safely and quickly without problems. We want them to come and enjoy themselves.”
US Population Grows At Slowest Pace Since The Great Depression; Residents Flee Illinois Again
According to data released by the US Census, in 2016 the U.S. population grew at the lowest rate since the Great Depression, while the state of New York shrank for the first time in a decade. The biggest loser, again, was Illinois which shrank for a third consecutive year, losing 38,000 people, mostly from the Chicago area.
At least 29 dead, dozens injured after explosion at Mexico fireworks market
An explosion ripped through Mexico's best-known fireworks market on the outskirts of Mexico City Tuesday, killing at least 29 people and injuring scores more while sending a huge plume of charcoal-gray smoke billowing into the sky.
Naples astride a rumbling mega-volcano
A slumbering Campi Flegrei volcano under the Italian city of Naples shows signs of "reawakening" and may be nearing a critical pressure point, according to a study published Tuesday.
Vandals desecrate Ukraine tomb of revered Hasidic rabbi
Vandals smeared blood and left a pig’s head marked with a swastika at the Ukraine grave-site of Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav, a popular pilgrimage site visited by tens of thousands of Hasidic Jews every year.
North Korea prepares ballistic-missile sub for sea worthiness
North Korea’s GORAE-class, experimental, ballistic missile submarine may be preparing to put to sea, possibly heralding further testing of sea-launched ballistic missiles or SLBMs. North Korea has tested SLBMs from land and sea multiple times over the last two years. The most recent test possibly may have been in December of this year from a land-based test site.
UN warns Palestinian population will double to 9.5 million by 2050
A new UN study projecting rapid growth in the Palestinian population should serve as a “wake up call” to Israel and the international community, a senior UN official said Tuesday.
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Gene drive’ moratorium shot down at UN biodiversity meeting
World governments at a United Nations biodiversity meeting this week rejected calls for a global moratorium on gene drives, a technology that can rapidly spread modified genes through populations and could be used to engineer entire species.
What India Has Done To Its Money Is Sickening And Immoral
IN NOVEMBER India's government perpetrated an unprecedented act that is not only damaging its economy and threatening destitution to countless millions of its already poor citizens but also breathtaking in its immorality. Without any warning India abruptly scrapped 85% of its currency. That's right: Most of the country's cash ceased to be legal tender. Shocked citizens were given only a few weeks' notice to take their cash and turn it in at a bank for new bills.
Katie Couric to Guest Host ‘Today Show’ Despite Deceptive Editing Controversy
NBC News will install Katie Couric as a guest co-host on the “Today Show” beginning in January despite controversy surrounding deceptive editing in her recent gun documentary, according to a report published on Wednesday.
Muslim students demand prayer rooms in every 'major building'
Students at the University of Maryland have released a list of 64 demands in their effort make the campus more amenable to “marginalized student populations.” The project, known as ProtectUMD, is a collaborative effort between 25 student organizations at the University of Maryland, including Students for Justice in Palestine, Bisexuals at Maryland, and the Black Student Union.
France to convene Middle East peace conference on Jan. 15
France will convene some 70 countries on Jan. 15 for a Middle East peace conference in Paris, its foreign minister said on Thursday, and will invite the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to meet separately at its conclusion.
IDF Prepares for Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Warfare
The IDF is preparing to deal with unconventional threats on Israel’s northern border, including those involving nuclear, biological and chemical warfare. The “Yahalom” Special Operations Engineering Unit has established the new Seyfan company for this purpose, which last week joined the unit for its first training exercise.
Congress: Obama Admin Fired Top Scientist to Advance Climate Change Plans
A new congressional investigation has determined that the Obama administration fired a top scientist and intimidated staff at the Department of Energy in order to further its climate change agenda, according to a new report that alleges the administration ordered top officials to obstruct Congress in order to forward this agenda.
ISIS BLOODBATH: Turkey kills 1,005 terrorists in major assault in Syria in Russia REVENGE
More than 1,000 jihadis allied to ISIS - also known by the Arabic acronym Daesh - have been killed in the fighting and at least 16 Turkish troops also died while dozens have been injured. Turkey’s army said in a statement: “Once this area has been seized, Daesh's dominance of al-Bab will to a large extent be broken.”
To Islamists, the Germans are a bunch of cowards
Islamists consider the Germans as a bunch of cowards. “You love life, we love death”, they continue to repeat. Because wherever they look, the combatants of Allah see only people and governments only too ready to capitulate. And Germany is Europe’s soft underbelly.
FEMA exposed hundreds to potentially fatal toxin
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has acknowledged that hundreds of Ohio emergency responders were exposed to a potentially fatal toxin while training at a FEMA facility in Alabama, according to an Associated Press report. Ricin is a poison found naturally in castor beans that kills cells by preventing them from creating protein. Exposure to the toxin can lead to death.
THE SOLAR WIND HAS ARRIVED
Earth is inside a stream of solar wind blowing out of a huge hole in the sun's atmosphere. NOAA forecasters estimate a 60% chance of G1-class geomagnetic storms on Dec. 22nd.
Stunning photos capture rare snow in the Sahara Desert
Incredible photos capture freak snowfall in the Sahara Desert, believed to be first time it has fallen on the unforgiving red dunes in almost 40 years.
Russian ambassador's assassin 'guarded Recep Tayyip Erdogan'
Mevlut Mert Altintas, 22, served on police details backing up Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s personal body guards eight times since the failed military coup that rocked Turkey in July, Abdülkadir Selvi, a columnist known for his close ties to the government, wrote in Hurriyet on Wednesday.
Israel urges U.S. to veto U.N. resolution on halting settlements
Israel urged the United States on Thursday to veto a U.N. Security Council draft resolution calling for an immediate halt to settlement building on occupied land that Palestinians want for a state. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took to Twitter in the dead of night in Israel to make the appeal, in a sign of concern that President Barack Obama might take a parting shot...
EPA Employees Not ‘Intentionally’ Breaking Law By Deleting Official Texts, IG Claims
“I applaud the inspector general at EPA for recognizing that there is a problem with EPA officials using texting for official business and the conflict it presents for maintaining records,” Smith said in a statement. “Out of the 3.1 million text messages analyzed by the IG, only 86 of the text messages were logged into the enterprise system at EPA as a federal record.
WH Boasts: Obama Commuted More Criminal Sentences ‘Than Last 11 Presidents Combined’
The White House is boasting that with the 153 federal inmates that President Barack Obama granted clemency yesterday, Obama has now commuted more criminal sentences than all the presidents going back to Harry Truman combined.
Obama Has Provoked WW III Three SeparateTimes Since the Election
For the past 12 hours, Trump supporters are breathing a collective sigh of relief that President-elect Trump was abe to withstand the latest attack upon his ability to obtain the Presidency. Between the long arm of the George Soros bribery machine and the Communist-type pressure techniques of the DNC, the Electors were able to withstand thee pressures and do the right thing by electing Donald Trump.
Texas Senator Konni Burton is taking on “policing for profit” with anti-asset forfeiture bill
Civil asset forfeiture has been a massive breach in the rights of American citizens happening right under their nose, yet not often spoken about. For those who don’t know what it is, civil asset forfeiture is, it was originally intended as a crime fighting tool to prevent drug trafficking. However, it has been abused far too often to enrich departments.
Tiny quakes ‘the heartbeat’ of Mount St. Helens
More than 120 tiny earthquakes have taken place during a seven-day period recently beneath Mount St. Helens, but the U.S. Geological Survey said there are no signs of an imminent eruption. Beginning Nov. 21, the USGS said, four swarms of small quakes were detected. The tiny earthquakes were mostly too small — magnitude 0.3 or less — to be exactly located by the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network or even felt on the surface.
Trump appoints China critic Peter Navarro to trade post
US President-elect Donald Trump has appointed economist Peter Navarro, a fierce critic of China, as the head of a new national trade body. He will lead the White House National Trade Council, and serve as director of trade and industrial policy. Mr Navarro advised Mr Trump during the campaign. His books include The Coming China Wars and Death by China.
IS conflict: 14 Turkish soldiers dead in worst day's loss yet
Fourteen Turkish soldiers have been killed in fierce fighting against so-called Islamic State in Syria, the Turkish army said. Wednesday's clashes happened in the town of al-Bab, which Turkey is helping rebels take from IS control. A further 33 Turkish soldiers were reported wounded.
Dust cloud hits Western Australia as cyclone looms
A giant dust cloud has hit Western Australia ahead of the nation's first cyclone of the season. Cyclone Yvette is expected to make landfall in Australia's northwest over the Christmas weekend. Meteorologists have issued a severe weather warning, predicting wind gusts of 160km/h (100mph), heavy rain and possible flash flooding.
Australian Christian Lobby 'car bomb' not politically motivated, police say
A man has driven a van filled with gas bottles into the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) headquarters in Canberra. Australian Capital Territory Police said the incident was not "politically, religiously or ideologically" motivated. The 35-year-old driver suffered serious burns after the explosion destroyed the vehicle and damaged the empty office.
Muezzin, Kotel bills frozen until after Trump inauguration
The coalition has agreed to hold its fire for the next three weeks, following a request from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to put all controversial legislation on hold until after January 20. ...The fact that the bills have been set aside for the coming weeks does not necessarily reflect on how the coalition will choose to move forward after that point.
Kremlin calls US-Russia ties
The Kremlin hopes that Donald Trump's administration will help improve the strained Russia-U.S. ties that it describes as "frozen," but it doesn't expect any immediate breakthroughs, President Vladimir Putin's spokesman said Wednesday.
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Berlin truck attack suspect shot dead by police in Italy
Italian police shot dead the man believed responsible for this week's Berlin Christmas market truck attack, killing him after he pulled a gun on them during a routine check in the early hours of Friday.
Backlash Swells in Germany as Hunt for Terrorist Ends
The hunt for the suspect in the deadly attack on a Berlin Christmas market ended before dawn Friday in a shootout with Italian police near Milan, but the political fallout was just beginning to gather force.
Earthquake hits near New Mexico-Colorado border
CIMARRON, N.M. (AP) - The U.S. Geological Survey is reporting a magnitude 4.5 earthquake in a remote area just south of the New Mexico-Colorado border.
COMMENTARY: Why do we need the Electoral College?
We have just experienced an election when the popular vote went to Clinton while the Electoral College votes went to Trump. This outcome has happened four times before and should not be regarded as a first-time event in our nation's history. The outcry is that the election is somehow rigged. However, our presidential election process was set up to accomplish exactly what happened. Here's why:
Trump Saves the Day on Obama-Backed Anti-Settlements UNSC Resolution
President-Elect Donald Trump engaged in his first act as leader of the free world on Thursday, when his tweet stopped the game clock on an Egyptian anti-settlements UN Security Council resolution.
Molten iron river discovered speeding beneath Russia and Canada
This stream of liquid has been discovered for the first time by telltale magnetic field readings 3000 kilometres below North America and Russia taken from space. The vast jet stream some 420 kilometres wide has trebled in speed since 2000, and is now circulating westwards at between 40 and 45 kilometres per year deep under Siberia and heading towards beneath Europe.
Superstar reporter warns 'fake news' panic is censorship trap
Sharyl Attkisson spotted the fake news trend long before it became a recent catchphrase. And she doesn’t portray it, as do many in the mainstream media, as some right-wing conspiracy. In fact, Attkisson told WND she often sees the mainstream media as prime culprits when they push suspect stories.
ISIS burns 2 Turkish servicemen alive, releases gruesome video
Islamic State terrorists have released a video which purportedly shows two captured Turkish soldiers being burned alive in Aleppo province, Syria. Jihadists said it was a revenge for Ankara’s involvement in a "war against Muslims".
Report: Israel asked Trump to intervene to avert UN vote on settlements
Fearing that outgoing President Obama intended to abstain on a UN Security Council vote to end Israeli settlements, Israel reached out to Trump to enter the fray and exert pressure, bringing about a delay on the vote.
You know who did it’ – Putin hints at WESTERN hand in ambassador assassination
“But maybe - and it is highly likely - that representatives of foreign NATO secret services are behind it.”
The Seeds of Messiah Planted in the Ruins of Amona
Rabbi Yosef Berger, the rabbi of King David’s Tomb on Mount Zion, told Breaking Israel News that, as Rabbi Eliyahu explained, suffering always precedes great achievements for Israel.
Storm Barbara LIVE: Latest path updates, maps, charts and weather warnings
FIVE weather warnings are now in place for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland with the Christmas 2016 weather forecast threatening more violent storms for Britain. Storm Barbara will bring winds of more than 90mph and 20ft waves to western Scotland, with Northern Ireland, northern England and north Wales also at severe risk.
UN to Vote on Draft Resolution, Demands Israel "Immediately Cease All Settlement Activities"
““Here in Israel we are at the forefront of the battle between radical Islamic terror and freedom […] we are out there fighting for you, for the free world. Whoever today supports a resolution against Israel is in effect raising his hand for the forces of evil.”
Russia, Syria Turn The Tide In Syrian Civil War
The last civilians and rebel fighters left the city of Aleppo Thursday, giving the Assad regime complete and total control of the city for the first time in four years.
FLASHBACK: Newcasters Ridiculed Idea Miss. Church Burning Wasn’t A Hate Crime
The arrest of a black suspect in the burning of a black Mississippi church has left egg on the faces of the The Young Turks, which last month ridiculed the possibility the attack wasn’t a hate crime.
Putin to Democratic Party: You lost, get over it
“Democrats are losing on every front and looking for people to blame everywhere,” Putin said in answer to a Russian TV host, one of 1,400 journalists accredited to the marathon session. “They need to learn to lose with dignity.”
Trump tweets about nuclear weapons, raising questions and fears
President-elect Donald Trump called for an expansion of the United States' nuclear capabilities on Thursday, in a tweet that alarmed nonproliferation experts who said that a boost to the U.S. arsenal could fuel global tensions. In his Twitter post, Trump said, "The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes," but gave no further details.
ISIS Puts Out Holiday Attack List Of U.S. Churches
The Islamic State published the names and addresses of thousands of churches in the United States and called on its adherents to attack them during the holiday season...posted...in the group’s “Secrets of Jihadis” social media group. A...message...announced the group’s plans to utilize its network of lone wolf attackers to “turn the Christian New Year into a bloody horror movie.”
Egypt delays UN motion on Israel as Trump intervenes
Egypt has delayed a UN vote on a text condemning Israeli settlements in occupied territory after Israel asked Donald Trump to intervene. Israel contacted the US president-elect's transition team after learning that the Obama administration might abstain in a Security Council vote. The move would have allowed the motion to pass, a US official told the BBC.
Melbourne Christmas Day 'terror attack' foiled, say Australia police
Australian police have foiled a major terror attack in Melbourne on Christmas Day, officials say. Three men detained in early morning raids on Friday are facing terror charges. Three other people were held but later released. The plot involved the use of explosives and other weapons, police say.
Successful Ebola vaccine will be fast-tracked for use
A highly effective vaccine that guards against the deadly Ebola virus could be available by 2018, says the World Health Organization. Trials conducted in Guinea, one of the West African countries most affected by an outbreak of Ebola that ended this year, show it offers 100% protection. The vaccine is now being fast-tracked for regulatory approval.
Man wanted for Berlin Christmas market terror attack shot dead in Milan
The suspect in the Berlin Christmas market truck attack was killed in a shoot-out in a suburb of the northern Italian city of Milan on Friday, Italy's interior minister said. Anis Amri, a 24-year-old Tunisian national, was wanted for the death of 12 and injury of over 50 when he crashed his truck into the winter festival in the German capital.
With iron will and key allies, Syria's Assad defies expectations
Written off by the West, Syria's President Bashar al-Assad has defied all expectations of his downfall, thanks to his iron will but also his crucial alliances with Russia and Iran. Syria's army declared Thursday it has recaptured all of Aleppo, allowing the 51-year-old president to deal a potentially knock-out blow to the opposition forces that rose up against him in 2011.
Metro working with Trump inaugural committee to design SmarTrip covers
A day after Metro started selling special inauguration-themed SmarTrip cards that don't feature President-elect Donald Trump, the transit agency confirmed it's designing special sleeves for the fare cards that will feature the incoming president.
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Lindsey Graham Warns UN: 'Congress Is a Player on Foreign Policy'
Sen. Lindsey Graham Saturday again blasted the U.N. Security Council vote condemning Israeli settlements and reiterated his pledge to "lead the charge to withhold funding until they repeal this resolution."
U.S. forces embedding more to help Iraqis retake Mosul: commander
U.S. forces assisting Iraqi troops to retake Mosul from Islamic State are embedding more extensively, a senior commander said on Friday, a move that could accelerate a two month-old campaign which has slackened after quick initial advances.
Now it’s the liberals who are arming up
When it looked all but certain that Hillary Clinton was going to win the presidency, nervous gun rights advocates reported stockpiling guns and ammunition they feared would no longer be available if the Democrat won the White House.
Vengeance is Mine, says the LORD
Yes, stand and applaud, ****able delegates to the Security Council who last night achieved your long-held goal of prohibiting Israel from building homes for Jews in the Jews’ own land. Soon you’ll be laughed to scorn.
The Radical Jesus: How Would The Baby In A Manger Fare In The American Police State?
Jesus was good. He was caring. He had powerful, profound things to say - things that would change how we view people, alter government policies and change the world. He went around helping the poor. And when confronted by those in authority, he did not shy away from speaking truth to power.
What are the implications of the UN Security Council’s anti-Israel vote? Here’s the short version.
For now, it’s important to note that this is not simply the meaningless act of UN diplomats blowing hot air. This resolution actually puts the State of Israel, our leaders, our citizens and businesses who work with and trade with us in very serious legal jeopardy.
Speaker Ryan: Obama abstention 'absolutely shameful'
House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) on Friday blasted the Obama administration over its decision to abstain in the UN Security Council vote on a resolution against “Israeli settlements”, calling it "absolutely shameful."
Obama Joins the Jackals
Obama admin 'stabs Israel in the back' with UN vote on settlements. Multiple sources from across the Jewish organizational world and in Congress are accusing the Obama administration of stabbing “Israel in the back” on Friday by choosing not to veto a United Nations resolution censuring the Jewish state, according to conversations with sources.
Earthquake Felt in Dubrovnik
A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 4.4 has been felt in Dubrovnik and the surrounding areas. It's epicentre is in Montenegro, at a depth of 13 kilometres. The earthquake struck at 00:39 on Christmas Eve, and follows the recent tremor near Split which registered 4.8 on the Richter scale.
FBI issues warning to U.S. churches after ISIS calls for terror attacks
The FBI has issued a warning to U.S. churches to be vigilant for threats coming from Islamic State sympathizers after the terror groups called for attacks around the Christmas festival. This warning has expanded from those in the past that warned against attacks against military and law enforcement targets, saying that terror groups “continue aspirational calls for attacks on holiday gatherings, including targeting churches.”
Six new mysterious blasts of radio energy are detected from deep space
It may be three billion light-years away from Earth, but this distant constellation could be trying to contact us. Six bursts of radio waves have been detected from the constellation Auriga, each lasting just a few milliseconds. While the source of the waves remains unknown, some suggest they mysterious bursts of energy could be a sign of alien life trying to contact us.
US issues Jordan travel warning after deadly attacks
The US State Department has issued a travel warning for all of Jordan because of "threats from terrorist groups" after recent deadly attacks. It said so-called Islamic State (IS) and its affiliates "continue to plot assaults" in the country. More than a dozen people, including a Canadian tourist, have been killed in attacks in Jordan since last week.
Israel settlements: Netanyahu rejects 'shameful' UN vote
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says a UN call to end settlement activity on occupied land is "shameful". He stressed that Israel would not abide by Friday's vote at the 15-member UN Security Council. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' spokesman said the resolution was a "big blow to Israeli policy".
'Israel rejects the anti-settlement resolution at the United Nations'
"Israel rejects the anti-Israel resolution at the United Nations," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Office said in a statement Friday night, calling the UN vote "shameful" and stating that Israel would not abide by it. The Security Council is not doing anything to stop the slaughter of half a million people in Syria, instead they turn their focus on Israel, stated the Prime Minister's Office.
Trump on Putin's criticism of Hillary Clinton and Democrats: 'So true!'
President-elect Donald Trump tweeted his agreement with Vladimir Putin on Friday evening, after the Russian president said top Democrats were humiliating themselves by blaming their election loss on alleged Russian hacking. "Vladimir Putin said today abo
Arctic heatwave could break records
Temperatures at the North Pole could be up to 20 degrees higher than average this Christmas Eve, in what scientists say is a record-breaking heatwave.
Trump warns UN after Israel vote: 'Things will be different' soon
President-elect Donald Trump slammed the Obama administration for its decision not to veto a U.N. resolution critical of Israel's settlements, promising that it would be "different" under his presidency.
UN demands end to Israeli settlements after US abstains
The UN Security Council demanded that Israel halt settlements in Palestinian territory, after the United States refrained from vetoing a resolution condemning its closest Middle East ally. In a rare and momentous step, the United States instead abstained, enabling the adoption of the first UN resolution since 1979 to condemn Israel over its settlement policy.
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France's Le Pen Promises to Withdraw from EU and NATO if Elected
I'd like to be able to say France withdrawing from the EU is a potential downside catalyst for stocks. However, these days nothing matters. Stocks would go up if nuclear war was initiated wordwide. There's literally nothing that can stop stocks from heading higher. But in the event you're still nostalgic about news, France's Le Pen wants stronger ties with Moscow, out of the EU and NATO -- in an effort to make France great again.
Kim Jong-un bans Christmas, makes North Korea worship grandma
Kim Jong-un is the Grinch who stole Christmas. North Korea’s tubby tyrant wants the few Christians in the hermit state to spread cheer only to celebrate his grandma, Kim Jong-suk – not the birth of Jesus.
Berlin plans ‘center of defense against fake news’ ahead of elections – report
The German government is seeking to create a center of defense against disinformation ahead of next year’s elections, in the wake of ongoing “fake news” and "Russian hackers" hysteria generated during the election cycle in the United States. The Federal Press Office in the Chancellery, which has a staff of over 500 professionals, will take the leading role in establishing the fake news defense center, Der Spiegel reported quoting a note from an anonymous Interior Ministry staff member.
A&E Cancels KKK Docuseries Following Criticism
A&E has pulled the plug on its upcoming docuseries centered on the KKK. The network announced their plans to scrap the project, which was intended to serve as a close look at anti-hate extractors focused on helping people leave the Ku Klux Klan, in a statement released Saturday.
Is California splitting away? Group believes California should form its own nation
California’s been described as a nation unto itself. Could it be? “Yes California,” a pro-secession group, filed paperwork with the state attorney general in November for a proposed 2018 ballot measure to strike language in the state constitution binding California to the United States.
World Pakistan Threatens Nuclear Attack On Israel
Concern about the effects of fake news racheted up a notch Sunday with a tweet from Pakistan’s defense minister threatening nuclear war with Israel on the mistaken belief Israel’s defense minister had threatened Pakistan if it sent troops to Syria.
Super Typhoon Nock-ten makes landfall on the Philippines
This storm will bring destructive winds, massive storm surge flooding and torrential rainfall to the islands through Monday night, including Manila, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Nock-ten is the strongest northwest Pacific tropical cyclone this late in the season since Susan in 1963 and Hester in 1952. The winds of 155 mph also make it the strongest tropical cyclone anywhere in the world on Christmas Day since 1960.
Obama’s Christmas Gift to Israel: A Stab in the Back
Netanyahu’s message was unabashed: “Israel rejects the anti-Israel resolution at the UN and will not abide by its terms. At a time when the Security Council does nothing to stop the slaughter of half a million people in Syria, it disgracefully gangs up on the one true democracy in the Middle East, Israel, and calls the Western Wall ‘occupied territory. “The Obama administration not only failed to protect Israel against this gang-up at the UN, it collaborated with the UN behind the scenes.”
Chile earthquake tsunami warning lifted
A tsunami alert issued after a powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake off the coast of southern Chile has now been lifted. The quake struck at 14:22 GMT on the island of Chiloe, about 40km (25 miles) south-west of Quellon, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.
'Europe's Christian legacy in danger' Archbishop of Vienna in warning about migrant crisis
Cardinal Christoph Schönborn said he had come to “rethink” his stance on the migrant crisis during a special Christmas TV discussion programme with Protestant Bishop Michael Bünker. The Cardinal, who is tipped as a possible future leader of the Roman Catholic church, said he was no longer convinced that Europe should accept all arrivals.
Merkel electoral crisis as German far-right AfD party surges in poll after Berlin attacks
GERMAN Chancellor Angela Merkel is facing an electoral backlash as her party loses support following the terror attack in Berlin this week. Now the far right group is set to make significant gains in next year's election after tripling its support.
Vladimir Putin Seems to Be Preparing for 'Serious Changes in Global Politics'
"I think that the Russian government and personally President Vladimir Putin are now preparing for new serious changes in global politics. These changes stem from the fact than soon new US President Donald Trump will soon enter office," Brieger pointed out.
Feds' secret 'Super Search Engine' about to be not so secret?
A magistrate judge has ordered the federal government to turn over hundreds of pages of information about a super-secret spy-on-Americans program that is run by AT&T called Hemisphere.
Netanyahu warns ministers against declarations of annexation
Speaking at a Likud party forum meeting, PM warns that any declarations pertaining to annexation or construction in the West Bank could precipitate further maneuvers prior to expiration of Obama's tenure; 'I have no doubt that the Obama administration initiated the decision.'
Ted Cruz: Cut US funding to UN until reversal of Israel vote
Republican Senator from Texas takes to Twitter, saying he spoke to Netanyahu to send him Hanukka greetings along with the assurance of "strong support in Congress." "I anticipate this vote will create a backlash in Congress against the United Nations," Graham said. "The organization is increasingly viewed as antisemitic and seems to have lost all sense of proportionality.
Choir and soldiers on board Russian plane that crashed into the Black Sea
A Russian military plane with 92 people on board has crashed into the Black Sea on its way to Syria, Russian news agencies reported. 92 people on board are feared dead. Russian agencies, citing unnamed security sources, said the TU-154 aircraft had crashed in the sea near the southern Russian city of Sochi after disappearing from radar screens early this morning.
China's 1st aircraft carrier heads for Western Pacific
China's first aircraft carrier has set off for the Western Pacific for an open-sea training exercise, the Defense Ministry said. State media said Sunday that it is the first time that the Liaoning, which was commissioned by the Chinese navy in 2012, has headed to "distant sea waters." The Western Pacific region stretches from China to New Zealand and encompasses countries in the Pacific, Oceania and parts of Asia.
Israel settlements: Netanyahu orders UN ties review
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will re-assess its ties with the United Nations. The move comes after the Security Council adopted a resolution demanding an end to Israeli settlement building on occupied land. The resolution was passed after the US refused to veto it, breaking with long-standing American practice.
Super typhoon Nock-Ten threatens Philippines
Thousands of people are being urged to leave their homes in the Philippines as a super typhoon roars towards the country's east coast. With winds of up to 150mph (240km/h), Nock-Ten is due to make landfall in the Bicol region on Christmas Day, the US Joint Typhoon Warning Center says. The Philippines' weather office said sustained winds were up to 175km/h.
Ted Cruz: Cut US funding to UN until reversal of Israel vote
Texas Senator Ted Cruz called on the US to stymie funding to the United Nations until a reversal of Friday's vote at the UN Security Council to end Israeli settlement building. ...Cruz's remarks came as an apparent endorsement of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham from South Carolina's plan to...punish those who pushed for the resolution with a cut in US aid— as well as the UN itself...
Netanyahu blames Obama for UN resolution, summons ambassadors
Sunday morning's cabinet set the stage for several strong comments from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but the major one was that the prime minister has instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to summon the ambassadors of the 12 countries in the Security Council with whom Israel has diplomatic ties for a talk in which Netanyahu is expected to reprimand them for the anti-Israel resolution that was passed on Friday.
Russian military plane headed for Syria 'disappears from radar'
A Russian military plane headed to Syria has disappeared from radar after taking off from the southern city of Adler, local news agencies reported the defence ministry as saying Sunday.
Why It’s So Dangerous To Be Christian In The Middle East(video)
Why It’s So Dangerous To Be Christian In The Middle East
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Earthquake recorded in Oman
A 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit Arab Sea on Monday morning at 11:26am 820 kilometers from Salalah, an official from Sultan Qaboos University Seismological Center said.
Philippines battered by typhoon and earthquake
Manila/New Delhi, Dec 26 (IBNS): An earthquake measuring 5.2 on Richter scale hit the Philippines coast in the wee hours of Monday morning while Powerful typhoon Nock-Ten continues to batter the nation, according to media sources.
Leah Remini challenges Church of Scientology to sue her over alleged lies
eah Remini isn’t backing down on her stance against Scientology. Amidst the success of her searing A&E docuseries Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, the actress and author could soon be living the harsh reality of the latter portion of the program’s title. During Friday’s episode of Larry King Now, Remini welcomed a lawsuit from members of the controversial religious organization, which she followed for 34 years between 1979 and 2013.
Alaska volcano erupts, sends up ash cloud
A volcano in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands has erupted again. The Alaska Volcano Observatory says an eruption that produced ash started just after 2 p.m. Monday at Bogoslof (BOH-goh-slawf) volcano about 850 miles southwest of Anchorage.
Bloody Year in Chicago Continues with 12 Killings Over Christmas Weekend
Two men gunned down on a porch in Chicago on Christmas Day were among 12 people slain in the city, where an epidemic of killings continued during the holiday weekend. The killings were among 27 shooting incidents occurred from Friday evening to Sunday evening, according to Chicago police. Police said 90 percent of the victims had gang affiliations.
Pennsylvania professor under fire for 'white genocide' tweet
A Drexel University professor, whose tweet that he wanted a "white genocide" for Christmas sparked a fire storm of criticism from the school and social media users, said on Monday his comment was satirical.
Fed Up With United States Trickery, Netanyahu Takes Drastic Actions
In what may be an unprecedented stage in Israel-US relations, Netanyahu placed the bulk of the blame on the United States. Specifically, on outgoing President Barack Obama who used the opportunity to take a parting shot at the Israeli Prime Minister.
Keith Ellison Backs Out of Radical Muslim Conference
Minnesota congressman Keith Ellison cancelled his scheduled appearance the Muslim American Society’s annual conference, where he was slated to deliver the keynote address. Ellison’s name and picture, which were previously featured prominently on the convention website’s homepage, have been removed completely. He was also removed from the full list of convention speakers.
World War 3 tensions rise as China sends WAR FLEET towards Taiwan
MILITARY tensions have been raised after China sent a fleet of warships towards Taiwan in what it called a “routine exercise” in the South China Sea.
Netanyahu: ‘According to UN, Maccabees Did Not Liberate Jerusalem, They Occupied Palestinian Territory’
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lit the second candle on Chanukah Sunday night at the Western Wall, saying he hadn’t planned to be at that place at that time, but “in light of the UN resolution, I thought that there was no better place to light the second Chanukah candle than the Western Wall.”
Israel to approve 100s of new homes in East Jerusalem in defiance of UNSC resolution – reports
The Jerusalem Local Planning and Construction Committee is expected on Wednesday to approve permits to build 618 apartments in Jewish neighborhoods across the Green Line, Haaretz reported. According to other Israeli media reports, the Committee might approve as many as 5,600 homes in response to the United Nations Security Council resolution which condemned Israeli settlement activities and called for a halt to illegal construction.
Israel Recalling U.S. Ambassador
In response to the United States’ decision to abstain from a controversial U.N. vote, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday summoned his country’s U.S. ambassador back to his country. Israeli ambassador to the U.S. Dan Shapiro has been called back to Israel....
Trump Receives Standing Ovation At Christmas Eve Church Service
President-elect Donald Trump and future first lady Melania Trump received a standing ovation Christmas Eve when they arrived unannounced at a 10:30 p.m. church service. Trump attended a Christmas Eve church service at the Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea, a historic church just a short drive from his Mar-a-Lago Estate in South Florida.
Remembering North Korea's Christian martyrs
Christmas is a time of great celebration for the world's two billion or so Christians. In one part of the planet, though, the lights are out. There is not be a flicker of recognition of the festival in North Korea - or not in public. It may be celebrated secretly, particularly as 2016 is the anniversary of a great Christian martyrdom on the banks of the Taedong river in Pyongyang.
Man Easily Enters Germany Dressed As ISIS Fighter
A masked man holding an Islamic State flag took a video of himself entering Germany to show just how non-existent border controls are in the country.
U.N. watchdog exposes secret concessions in Obama’s Iran deal
President Barack Obama, in addition to allegedly financially empowering Iran and setting them up for future development of nuclear weapons, also apparently stood behind...“secret exemptions” contained in the...Iran Deal. ...The International Atomic Energy Agency...posted documents revealing...exemptions in January that permit the country to stockpile uranium in excess of the 300 kilogram limit set by the nuclear deal, experts said.
Berlin plans ‘center of defense against fake news’ ahead of elections – report
The German government is seeking to create a center of defense against disinformation ahead of next year’s elections, in the wake of ongoing “fake news” and "Russian hackers" hysteria... The Federal Press Office in the Chancellery, which has a staff of over 500 professionals, will take the leading role in establishing the fake news defense center...
Revealed: British councils used Ripa to secretly spy on public
Councils were given permission to carry out more than 55,000 days of covert surveillance over five years, including spying on people walking dogs, feeding pigeons and fly-tipping... A mass freedom of information request has found...two-thirds of the 283 that responded – used the government’s Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (Ripa) to gather evidence via secret listening devices, cameras and private detectives.
China's 1st aircraft carrier sails into South China Sea
China's first aircraft carrier and five other warships passed by Taiwan and sailed into the contested South China Sea on Monday, Taiwan's Defense Ministry said. The ships, led by the Liaoning, sailed past the Pratas Islands, also known as the Dongsha Islands, a Taiwan-controlled atoll in the northern part of the South China Sea, according to the ministry.
Death knell sounds for Obama doctrine as Aleppo falls to Assad loyalists
The fall of the rebel-held Syrian city of Aleppo to Russian- and Iranian-backed forces loyal to President Bashar Assad sounds the death knell for the outgoing Obama administration’s hands-off counterterrorism doctrine, analysts say. The final batches of anti-Assad fighters vacated formerly rebel-held areas of eastern Aleppo on Friday, officially bringing the city...under the regime’s control.
Iran says will only pay half price for new Boeing planes
Iran's official IRNA news agency is reporting the deputy transport minister as saying that his county will only pay half of the announced price for 80 new Boeing planes... Iran announced earlier this month that it had finalized the deal, which was made possible by last year's landmark nuclear agreement.
Fighting back: How Indonesia's elite police turned the tide on militants
As the world battles a spike in assaults and plots by Islamist militants, Indonesia's anti-terrorism unit is drawing praise for stemming a wave of bloody attacks in the sprawling Muslim-majority nation. Indonesia has foiled at least 15 attacks this year alone and made more than 150 arrests, disrupting plots ranging from suicide attacks in Jakarta to a rocket attack from Indonesia's Batam island targeting Singapore.
Rabbi uses National Menorah lighting to trash Obama UN move
The rabbi in charge of the National Hanukkah Menorah lighting used the ceremony...to criticize the Obama administration's decision to allow the United Nations to pass a resolution condemning Israeli settlements in the West Bank and portions of Jerusalem as illegal. Rabbi Levi Shemtov...turned an Obama administration official's speech about "fighting darkness with light" on its head...
Australia flood: Uluru national park closed after huge rainfall
A record amount of rainfall has led to the closure of Australia's famous national park at Uluru. Waterfalls appeared all over the landmark, also known as Ayers Rock, at the heart of the park in central Australia. The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) described the massive Christmas storm as a twice-a-century weather event.
Former US envoy to Israel: 'Nasty' language directed at Obama 'unacceptable'
The harsh language being levied from Jerusalem against the Obama administration in the wake of a UN resolution condemning Israeli settlements is "unprecedented" and "unacceptable,"... In an interview...Dan Kurtzer, who severed under...George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005, said that it should be "no surprise to people that the international community...has strong opposition to what Israel is doing in the West Bank."
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John Kerry To Deliver Obama’s Plan To Solve The Israel-Palestinian Conflict
John Kerry will deliver a speech outlining the Obama administration’s plan to solve the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians Wednesday, said Department of State spokesman Mark Toner Tuesday While it remains unclear what exactly Kerry will say, it is believed that the speech will center on four core issues regarding a potential two-state solution:
Trump family faces antisemitic backlash following Hanukka tweets
President-elect Donald Trump was bombarded with antisemitic tweets from his social media followers shortly after he tweeted "Happy Hanukkah" alongside a picture of a menorah on the first night of the Jewish festival of lights.
Gingrich to Congress: Condemn Obama over anti-Israel resolution
Former House speaker Newt Gingrich urged Congress on Monday to condemn the Obama administration for allowing the resolution against Israeli “settlements” to pass the UN Security Council. “Why is the Obama team waging war against Israel? Why are they taking steps to isolate and then kill a democracy and an ally?
Romania earthquake: 5.6 tremor felt in Bucharest, Bulgaria and Moldova
An earthquake (cutremur) with a preliminary magnitude of 5.6 has struck near Focșani in eastern Romania, with shaking felt as far away as the capital Bucharest and parts of nearby countries, including Bulgaria, Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine.
What’s All This Sudden Concern About Executive Power?
After eight years of his wanton tyranny, the party that would like the federal government to grow so powerful that it runs every American life is suddenly concerned about giving the president too much power. What a remarkable time to discover this concern.
Mexico's Colima volcano erupts, making 1.5 mile ash plume
the Interior Ministry's public safety coordinator, said in a statement that the latest eruption occurred early Tuesday, and created an ash plume about 1.5 miles tall. Ash could fall up to 30 miles away from the volcano, he said. The Colima volcano -- known by Mexicans as the Volcano of Fire is in Mexico's Colima state. Authorities have also declared an exclusion zone in neighboring Jalisco state.
3.3M earthquake strikes near Los Angeles
A 3.3 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast near Los Angeles on Tuesday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The strike happened at 5:58 a.m. Eastern, according to the USGS. The earthquake took place 10 kilometers southwest of Malibu, California.
GOP moves to block 'disorderly conduct' in House chamber
The House of Representatives will vote on new rules in January that include fines for members of Congress who take pictures or broadcast audio or video from the floor of the House chamber, in addition to other rules clarifying conduct seen as disorderly during Congressional sessions. In addition to fines, the legislation includes penalties for breaking new rules that include referrals to the House Committee on Ethics and other sanctions.
ALIEN LIFE BOOST: 2017 could be the year we FINALLY confirm ET existence, say experts
With several probes around different planets and a rover on Mars, experts are hopeful that 2017 could finally be the year that humans discover life on other worlds. Scientists were excited earlier this year when strange signals were detected from deep space. While many experts state that it is likely to be another false alarm, there is hope that significant news will arise from it either way.
The First Step Towards Building the Third Temple: A Synagogue on the Temple Mount
Yaakov Hayman, the head of Yishai, an NGO dedicated to reinstating Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount, is preparing to submit a survey map to the Israeli government to build four synagogues, one in each corner of the Temple Mount compound, a critical turning point steering Israel in the right direction towards prayer at Judaism’s holiest site.
Israel urges Jews to leave France as Benajmin Netanyahu continues to lash out after UN vote
Israel’s defence minister has urged French Jews to leave France and move to the Jewish state as the Israeli government continued to lash out at the international community in the wake of UN resolution criticising its settlements in the occupied West Bank. Four days after the US allowed the UN Security Council to censure Israeli settlement building, Israel’s government is on a heated rhetorical campaign against the 14 countries that voted against it.
Russia calls U.S. move to better arm Syrian rebels a "hostile act"
Russia said on Tuesday that a U.S. decision to ease some restrictions on arming Syrian rebels had opened the way for deliveries of shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles, a move it said would directly threaten Russian forces in Syria.
CHINA-CHONGQING-EARTHQUAKE
Pupils are evacuated to a playground after earthquake at Xichan Elementary School in Dazu District of Chongqing, southwest China, Dec. 27, 2016. A 4.8-magnitude earthquake hit Chongqing on Tuesday morning. So far, no casualties have been reported.
Missing From The Fake News Debate: Evidence It Had Any Impact Photo of Peter Hasson Peter Hasson
As 2016 draws to a close, the ongoing debate regarding “fake news’ has pressed forward, but notably absent from the debate is any evidence that “fake news” impacted voters’ decisions on whom to vote for in last month’s election.
Netanyahu defends response to UN vote: 'Israel will not turn the other cheek'
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu moved from an offensive to defensive posture on Monday regarding the UN Security Council vote, rebuffing criticism that his angry response was too aggressive and saying that Israel will not “turn the other cheek.”
Russia calls U.S. move to supply Syria rebels weapons a hostile act
Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday it viewed a U.S. decision to ease restrictions on weapons supplies to Syrian rebels as a "hostile act" which threatened the safety of Russian warplanes and military personnel, the RIA news agency reported. RIA quoted the ministry as saying the administration of Barack Obama was attempting to complicate the situation in the world before Donald Trump took over the White House in January.
Fears Growing Islamic State Successfully Weaponizing Refugees
Western security officials are increasingly worried that the Islamic State terror group may be a step ahead of their renewed efforts to stop terrorist infiltration of their countries. Fears once centered on IS using migrant and refugee flows to sneak in highly trained operatives bent on carrying out attacks. Now they have expanded to include an equally dangerous possibility.
Monte dei Paschi sees funding gap grow
Italian lender Monte dei Paschi is facing a capital shortfall of €8.8bn (£7.5bn), higher than the €5bn previously estimated by the bank, the European Central Bank has said. It comes after Italy approved a €20bn fund to prop up its embattled banking sector on 23 December. Monte dei Paschi had asked for a capital injection to stay afloat.
Turkish police in court for first Istanbul trial over coup plot
Twenty-nine police officers have gone on trial in a Turkish prison accused of trying to overthrow the government in the failed July coup. It is the first trial of alleged plotters to take place in Istanbul since the abortive coup. Turkey has arrested some 40,000 people and sacked even more after parts of the army and police tried to oust President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
High Court to hear petition for transparency for Israel’s secretive atomic agency
An NGO announced on Tuesday that the High Court of Justice will hear its petition to compel the secretive Israel Atomic Energy Commission to become more transparent through broad Knesset legislation. The hearing will be the first time in history that a judicial body will exercise oversight over the Israeli IAEC.
US soldiers 'heading to the front line' in new Iraqi push against Islamic State in Mosul
Iraqi forces are preparing for a fresh push against Islamic State-held Mosul 'within several days' a US general has said, as American soldiers prepare to get closer to the front line than ever before in the two month campaign to take the jihadi stronghold.
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Erdan calls John Kerry's upcoming Middle East peace speech 'pathetic'
"It's pathetic to present a 
plan at the last minute when he hasn't managed to change anything for his entire time in office," Erdan said late on Tuesday night. "It's unfortunate that the Obama Administration, that erred for years in the Middle East, is trying to make sure that the chaos will last far past its tenure,"
Magnitude 6.3 quake hits Japan, no tsunami warning
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.3 hit eastern Japan on Wednesday, but no tsunami warning was issued, public broadcaster NHK said. There were no immediate reports of damages or injuries.
What the hack? The leaks that shaped 2016
The past 12 months could be defined as the year of leaks, with hackers and whistleblowers revealing a massive trove of information, affecting entities around the world. The effects of 2016's leaks range from allegedly swaying the results of the US elections to exposing the inner workings of governments over decades.
YESHA Council Envoy: Kerry is a liar, he's not saying the truth
"When I met with Kerry a few weeks ago, I understood that we're talking about a person who is disconnected from reality and looking to make headlines. He's a person who takes sides in an argument and confuses facts with wishes.
Federal Appeals Court Invites Trump’s AG To Enter Clinton Email Scandal
A federal court ruled Tuesday the U.S. attorney general can still get involved in supervising the release of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s emails, offering President-elect Donald Trump an opportunity to intervene in the controversial case.
2 earthquakes struck near Lake Tahoe, rumblings felt across region
Two earthquakes struck early Wednesday near Lake Tahoe, and their rumblings were felt across areas of two states. There were no immediate reports of problems. The U.S. Geological Surveys says the two magnitude 5.7 temblors were both centered in a remote area of Nevada near the California line, about 70 miles southeast of Lake Tahoe.
4.1 Magnitude Earthquake Registered Off Central Oregon Coast
An earthquake has been recorded off Oregon’s central coast. The U.S. Geological Survey says the 4.1 magnitude earthquake hit Tuesday at 7:51 a.m. Pacific. It struck about 269 miles west of Corvallis.
European Union chief says open borders are the best way to fight terrorism
Europe’s governing body is doubling down on its immigration “values” — even after three of its member countries have been attacked by terrorists in just the last year. Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, which serves as the executive body of the European Union, said Monday that open borders are still the best way to combat international terrorism, the Berlin Morning Post reported.
Mexico eyes border, migration as leverage in talks with Trump
Mexico aims to defend free trade with the United States by using border security and immigration policy to gain leverage in talks with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump... To defuse Trump's threats to disrupt trade and investment, policymakers say Mexico aims to strike a balance between hearing out his concerns over illegal immigration and U.S. jobs, and adopting a firm posture to protect its own economic interests.
US says claim it supported IS in Syria is 'ludicrous'
The US has described as "ludicrous" a claim by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that it supported so-called Islamic State (IS) in Syria. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said there was no basis for such an accusation. The Turkish leader earlier said he had evidence and also said the US had supported the Kurdish YPG and PYD groups.
Syria conflict: Turkey and Russia 'agree ceasefire plan'
Turkey and Russia have agreed on the terms of a proposed ceasefire in Syria, where they back opposing sides in the civil war, Turkish state media report. The Anadolu news agency cited an unnamed source as saying the two states were working to ensure the ceasefire would start after midnight (22:00 GMT). "Terrorist organisations" would be excluded from the deal, the source added, without giving further details.
Seven charged with attempted murder of Berlin homeless man
Seven young migrants have been charged with attempted murder in Germany after they allegedly tried to set a homeless man alight on Christmas Day. Six of the suspects, aged between 15 and 18, surrendered to police immediately after CCTV pictures of the incident in Berlin were released. The victim, who was attacked in an underground station, was unharmed.
Nigeria's Sultan of Sokoto rejects gender equality bill
Nigeria's most senior Muslim cleric has rejected a new gender equality bill, which proposes that women and men inherit an equal share. The Sultan of Sokoto, Mohamed Sa'ad Abubakar, said Muslims would not accept the violation of Islamic law guaranteeing men a greater share. Nigeria's main Christian body has welcomed the bill, saying its religion permitted equal inheritance.
Mumps spreads on college campuses
..."Mumps kind of sounds like this archaic thing," Brown said. "We get vaccinated for it...I just didn't think that it was possible that I would get it." But mumps is back...fueled in part by its spread on college campuses. Since classes began at the University of Missouri in August, school officials have identified 193 mumps cases on campus. Nationwide, more than 4,000 cases have been reported...
Leaked documents claim UN anti-settlement resolution orchestrated by US, PA co-op
Prior to the UN Security Council vote on anti-Israeli settlement resolution 2334, US Secretary of State John Kerry met with a Palestinian delegation in early December in Washington to discuss the draft, agreeing to cooperate... According to the report, Kerry along with US National Security Adviser Susan Rice, met with Secretary General of the PLO Executive Committee Saeb Erkat and Majed Faraj, head of the Palestinian Authority's General Intelligence Service.
Vote on new Israeli homes in east Jerusalem said canceled ahead of Kerry speech
Amid heightened tensions between Jerusalem and Washington over the US’s abstention in last week’s UN resolution, the Jerusalem Municipality will reportedly cancel a Wednesday meeting to approve hundreds of Jewish residential units beyond the 1949 Armistice Line. ...the municipality contended that the resolution had no bearing on the city’s master plan for Jewish or Arab construction.
Erdogan accuses West of backing IS, breaking promises in Syria
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday said the West was breaking promises in Syria, accusing Ankara's partners of backing "terror groups" including IS jihadists in the country.
U.S. appeals court revives Clinton email suit
In a new legal development on the controversy over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's emails, an appeals court on Tuesday reversed a lower court ruling and said two U.S. government agencies should have done more to recover the emails.
CNBC's John Harwood Blames "White Fear" For Democrat Losses Under Obama
As the latest testament to his extreme impartiality as CNBC's chief Washington Correspondent, Harwood sent out the following tweet storm aimed at all of "those making [the] silly argument that Obama hurt [the] Democratic Party" to confirm, once and for all, that "white fear" (aka racism) was responsible for democratic losses in Congress under Obama's leadership and not his failed policies.
India's Prime Minister Has Singlehandedly Crushed The Economy With His Reckless Cash Ban
oday’s piece should be seen as a bit of a followup to yesterday’s post, India’s Demonetization Debacle Highlights the Dangers of Monetary Monopoly. While yesterday’s piece was more philosophical/strategic in nature, today’s zeroes in on some of the devastating real world impacts of Narendra Modi’s insane and inhumane cash ban. It’s hard to overstate the damage this policy has done to India’s economy. Modi is quickly solidifying his place as one of monetary history’s biggest idiots.
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With the two-state solution a distant dream, Palestinians ask if it's time to push for a one-state solution
Palestinians see prospects for the so-called two-state solution disintegrating, a growing number are mulling over a provocative alternative: a single binational state from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean.
Israeli TV Reports Netanyahu Probe Expected Within Days
An Israeli TV channel reported Thursday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is suspected of receiving valuable gifts from two businessmen. The Channel 2 segment was the latest in a series of reports in Israeli media saying that police are close to opening a criminal investigation against the prime minister.
Russian Embassy in UK responds to sanctions with 'lame duck tweet'
The Russian response to Barack Obama’s announcement that he was expelling 35 diplomats over the alleged cyber attack on the US election, was fast, and in some cases, rather amusing.
Modi Set to Face Fallout From His 50-Day Cash Promise to India
Short of a miracle, India’s prime minister Narendra Modi will fail to meet his own 50-day deadline to restore order to the country’s economy and ease the hardship faced by ordinary citizens following the chaos of his sudden currency ban.
Obama’s Treachery Exposed
After watching all the pomp and circumstance of the presidential inauguration of January 20, 2009, I remember turning to my husband Steve and saying: “The sole mission of Barack Obama and his henchmen is to destroy Israel.”
It’s Pretty Clear Why Obama Wouldn’t Have Fared So Well Against Donald Trump
Politico’s Bill Scher unceremoniously yanked the one remaining leg out of President Barack Obama’s stool in a Wednesday op-ed that described Obama’s prospects had he run against President-elect Donald Trump.
Chief rabbi: US has forsaken Israel, we can trust only in the Lord
“Sometimes, we need to be reminded from above that we can count on no one but our Father who art in heaven,” Yosef told followers at the Western Wall. “Even America… forsook us last week at the UN.” He added: “We mustn’t forget that the hearts of kings and captains are in the hands of the Lord, and we can count on no one but (the Lord).”
Europe elections in 2017 that could DESTROY EU: Votes in France, Germany and Netherlands
A SERIES of elections and referendums across Europe in the new year could plunge the EU into chaos as a wave of populism sweeps the continent. Victories for parties such as Le Pen’s Front National and the German AfD could spark a slate of Brexit-style referendums which might spell the end of the EU
White House On Defense After Being Exposed as Architect of Anti-Israel U.N. Action
Senior Obama administration officials are scrambling to provide explanations after multiple reports, including in the Washington Free Beacon, identified the White House as being a chief architect of a recent United Nations resolution condemning the state of Israel, according to conversations with multiple former and current U.S. officials.
Jimmy Carter to Obama: Grant Recognition to ‘State of Palestine’ at UN
Jimmy Carter is urging incumbent President Barack Obama to support an anti-Israel resolution at the United Nations Security Council that would allow the Palestinian Authority to evade its obligation to negotiate a final status agreement and skip directly to independent statehood.
Aiming for Technological Superpower Status, China Buys Up German Companies Read more: https://sputniknews.com/business/201612291049104618-china-germa
The acquisition of German companies by Chinese investors has reached record levels. According to financial consulting firm Ernst & Young, investors from mainland China and its financial hub Hong Kong have purchased 58 German companies in the first ten months of 2016, which is 19 more than the total purchased a year earlier.
'War' coming between U.S., U.N.
He explained that Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., already has started work on ways to keep U.S. money away from the U.N., because “the U.N. has made it impossible for us to continue with business as usual.” The senator said Republicans in Congress likely “will feel like this is a betrayal of Israel and the only response that we have is the power of the purse.”
Netanyahu tells Kerry: Israel doesn't need to be lectured about peace by foreign leaders
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a fiery retort, both in Hebrew and in English, to US State Secretary John Kerry's speech on Wednesday, telling the American diplomat: "Israel does not need to be lectured about peace by foreign leaders."
Trump: The UN doesn't solve problems, it causes them
“When do you see the United Nations solving problems?” he added. “They don’t. They cause problems. So, if it lives up to the potential, it’s a great thing, and if it doesn’t, it’s a waste of time and money.” The remarks are a continuation of a tweet posted earlier this week by Trump, in which he said the UN is simply “a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time”.
U.S. appeals court rejects SEC's use of administrative law judges
A divided federal appeals court has ruled that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's in-house administrative judges are not constitutionally appointed, raising the prospect that the U.S. Supreme Court may need to address the issue.
POWERFUL QUAKE ‘Severe’ 5.5 earthquake rocks New Zealand’s South Island close to where 7.8 quake killed two last month
A SEVERE earthquake has hit New Zealand’s South Island. The 5.5 magnitude earthquake hit near Kaikoura at around 3.30pm which is the same place which experience a 7.8 magnitude quake in November.
Trump Said to Discuss Veterans’ Care Overhaul With Hospital CEOs
President-elect Donald Trump met...with leaders of top U.S. nonprofit hospital systems to discuss overhauling health care for veterans, including by allowing them to more readily visit hospitals outside the Veterans Affairs system. The group weighed public-private partnerships and other options that would make it possible for veterans to go to any hospital for care, inside the VA system or outside of it...
Satellite spots MASSIVE object hidden under the frozen wastes of Antarctica
SCIENTISTS believe a massive object which could change our understanding of history is hidden beneath the Antarctic ice. The huge and mysterious “anomaly” is thought to be lurking beneath the frozen wastes of an area called Wilkes Land. It stretches for a distance of 151 miles across and has a maximum depth of about 848 metres.
Over two dozen earthquakes hit near Lake Tahoe within four hours
Over two dozen earthquakes have been reported to hit the California-Nevada frontier early Wednesday morning, with tremors being felt as far north as Sacramento as well as San Francisco and Las Vegas. The earthquakes struck near Lake Tahoe, and their rumblings were felt across areas of both states, KTVN reported. There were no immediate reports of problems.
Israel-Palestinians: Netanyahu condemns John Kerry speech
Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned as biased a speech by outgoing US Secretary of State John Kerry on Israeli-Palestinian issues. Mr Kerry said the prospect of a peace deal based on a two-state solution was in grave jeopardy. ...Mr Netanyahu said he was disappointed with the speech, which he said was "unbalanced" and "obsessively focused" on settlements.
Syria conflict: Government agrees truce with rebels - Putin
The Syrian government and rebel groups have agreed a ceasefire and to begin peace talks, Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced. The ceasefire is due to come into force at midnight (22:00 GMT) Thursday. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said earlier that Turkey and Russia would act as guarantors under the plan.
DR Congo floods leave 50 dead in Boma
At least 50 people have died and thousands have been left homeless after severe flooding in the south-west of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Torrential rain caused the Kalamu river, which flows through the city of Boma, to burst its banks on Tuesday. The bodies of some of the victims had ended up in neighbouring Angola, after being carried away by the surge, a local governor said.
Trump on Kerry speech: Something's going on and it's 'very unfair' to Israel
US president-elect Donald Trump commented on US Secretary of State John Kerry's Middle East speech on Middle East peace late on Wednesday, saying that it "speaks for itself." Speaking to press outside of his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump said that he and Kerry "have different views." Later on during the conference, the president-elect said that "Israel has been treated very, very unfairly by a lot of different people."
Abbas: I will renew negotiations, if Israel halts settlements, abides by agreements
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas responded to US Secretary of State John Kerry’s speech late Wednesday night, saying he is prepared to resume negotiations if Israel halts settlement construction and abides by signed agreements. “The minute the Israeli government agrees to cease all settlement activities....the Palestinian leadership stands ready to resume permanent status negotiations...
MKs warn: Shas Western Wall bill will drive away American Jews
Shas’ proposal to criminalize non-Orthodox worship at the Western Wall will divide the Jewish People, MK Nachman Shai (Zionist Union) warned in a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed by 30 lawmakers from the coalition and opposition. “American Jews are angry and so is their leadership,” Shai said Thursday, calling the Shas proposal “poison.”
U.S. records fewest tornado deaths in 30 years
From floods to wildfires, 2016 featured several weather disasters, but a big, deadly tornado outbreak was not one of them. Tornadoes killed only 17 Americans this year, the fewest in 30 years and the second fewest since accurate records began in 1950. In 1986, 15 died, which is the least on record, according to the Storm Prediction Center.
Mysterious illness tied to marijuana use on the rise in states with legal weed
For more than two years, Lance Crowder was having severe abdominal pain and vomiting, and no local doctor could figure out why. Finally, an emergency room physician in Indianapolis had an idea.
Philippines president claims he dropped kidnapper from helicopter
The foul-mouthed president of the Philippines, who earlier this month admitted to personally shooting and killing three men and using a powerful painkiller in excess of a doctor’s order, said Tuesday he also had dropped a kidnapping suspect from a helicopter – and he would do it again.
On Dec. 31, an extra ‘leap second’ will be added to our universal clocks — because of waves
The year 2016 will last a little longer. You’ll need to wait a second! As massive as our planet is, the Earth still “brakes” for ocean waves. Remarkably, this pale blue dot decelerates thanks to the braking action of ocean tides. In fact, our planet decelerates 2 milliseconds per day per century, according to the Naval Observatory. The final effect is that the planet’s rotation slows compared to atomic clocks.
Apparently driving while caffeinated is now a crime
If you picked up a coffee this morning on your way to work you were driving in the same condition that Joseph Schwab was when he was pulled over and arrested for “driving under the influence.” Schwab, a California man who was pulled over by an agent of the state’s Alcoholic Beverage Control department, is now fighting back.
Turkey’s Erdogan Drops Bombshell Claim: 'Confirmed Evidence' US-Led Coalition Forces Supported ISIS
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday made the bombshell claim that he has “confirmed evidence” that U.S.-led coalition forces provided support to terrorist groups in Syria, including ISIS.
TX Rep Drafting Bill to Defund UN: 'They Don't Need Our Money to Be Anti-Semitic'
Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert (R) told Kimberly Guilfoyle he is drafting a bill that will halt all US funds to the United Nations until they rescind a resolution condemning Israeli settlements.
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Obama’s petty attempts to sabotage Trump are bound to fail
It’s easy to come up with several different reasons for the Obama administration’s moves against Russia and Israel. The repudiation of his policies in last month’s election would have wounded a normal person’s ego, to say nothing of someone as vain as Obama. To rub it in, the press has left the setting to follow the rising sun, reporting so much about Trump that Obama had seemed quite forgotten.
Anthony Bourdain slams ‘privileged’ liberals for ‘utter contempt’ of working class
Celebrity chef and self-described “privileged Eastern liberal” Anthony Bourdain slammed his fellow leftist elites this week, arguing that their disdain for working-class Americans helped create “the upswell of rage and contempt” that propelled Donald Trump to the presidency.
Israel issues travel warning for its citizens in India
Israel has issued a warning for its citizens travelling to India ahead of the new year celebrations citing a "concrete basic threat" and advised to avoid parties and gatherings particularly in south-west part of the country.
British leader Theresa May breaks with John Kerry’s condemnation of Israel
British Prime Minister Theresa May condemned a blunt speech this week by Secretary of State John F. Kerry on the state of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, an unusual move that boosted Britain’s relations with the incoming Trump administration at the expense of President Obama.
5.5-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Near Japan's East Coast: US Geological Survey
A 5.5-magnitude earthquake hit near Japan's east coast on Saturday, the US Geological Survey said. The moderate quake hit at a shallow depth of 11 kilometres (6.8 miles), 244 kilometres northeast of Tokyo, just after 5:00 am (2000 GMT).
Morici: 'Smarter' Trump Needs Time to Undo 8 Years of Obama Damage
"I have no doubt that Mr. Trump's a heck of a lot smarter than Barack Obama but Barack Obama had eight years to do this damage so it's going to take a lot of time to undo it," Morici told Bill Tucker on "The Steve Malzberg Show." "Executive orders can generally be reversed but not all,"
Top Bible Prophecy Stories of 2016 By Jan Markell
Zechariah 12:3 became a blunt reality on December 23. This was the day the U.N. Security Council voted unanimously to come against Israel. America abstained which is essentially voting with the other members. She symbolically became the world's burdensome stone. This was initiated and instigated by the President of the United States which means terrible repercussions are coming to this land.
Christians, Jews Vow to Stand Together at Trump’s Inauguration
In the wake of deteriorating relations between Israel and the US culminating in the disastrous UN vote last Friday, Tommy Waller, a Christian from Tennessee, is bringing a delegation of Israeli Knesset members to Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20th.
Coast Guard search launched after plane vanishes in Ohio
The Columbus-bound Cessna Citation 525 departed Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland late Thursday night and disappeared from radar about two miles over Lake Erie. Why remains unclear. The group on the plane apparently had just left the Cleveland Cavaliers game,
Canadian MP: As PM, I will move Canadian embassy to Jerusalem
Candidate for leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada Kellie Leitch vowed to move the Canadian Embassy to Jerusalem if elected PM.
Syrian blood isn't red enough for Obama
Ezri Tubi points out the hypocrisy in the American administration's fixation on Israel while ignoring carnage in Syria. (video)
Britain, edging towards Trump, scolds Kerry over Israel
Britain scolded U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry for describing the Israeli government as the most right-wing in Israeli history, a move that aligns Prime Minister Theresa May more closely with President-elect Donald Trump. Kerry's public rebuke of Israel has unsettled some allies such as Britain.
HERE COMES THE SOLAR WIND (AGAIN)
2016 might get one more blast of auroras before the year is over. Another stream of solar wind is heading for Earth, and it could arrive before New Year's Eve. The wind is flowing from a coronal hole (CH) in the sun's atmosphere...
Barack Obama has turned his back on America’s staunchest allies, writes STEPHEN POLLARD
THERE could be no more fitting ending to Barack Obama’s disastrous presidency than the two set-piece foreign policy events that took place in the US on Wednesday.In their own ways each demonstrated just why the day cannot come too soon when this most overrated and inept president disappears from public office.
Russia to eject US diplomats in response to sanctions
Russia on Friday announced plans to expel 35 US diplomats and ban US diplomatic staff from using a dacha and a warehouse in Moscow in retaliation to Washington's sanctions, Russian news agencies reported. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted by the agencies as saying he had proposed the measures to President Vladimir Putin.
Earthquakes, bushfires, floods and thunderstorm asthma wreaking havoc in 2016
Earthquakes, bush fires, floods and, in Australia, previously little-known thunderstorm asthma were among the natural disasters that made headlines around the world in 2016. It seemed like a year of earthquakes.
RING OF FIRE FEARS: Indonesia struck by HUGE earthquake - villagers flee their homes
AN earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 struck today off the island of Sumbawa in eastern Indonesia, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said. There was no tsunami warning issued.
Over 6,500 earthquakes rocked Japan in 2016
The number of noticeable earthquakes that struck Japan in 2016 exceeded 6,500, three times more than in the previous year, the Japan Meteorological Agency said Friday.
Netanyahu responds to UN by tweeting this video clip of Trump
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wasn’t thrilled with the United Nations’ 14-0 vote...which bars the Jewish state from establishing settlements in Palestine-claimed lands — and he made that clear with a tweet Thursday afternoon. In the tweet, the Israeli prime minister shared a short reel of clips featuring President-elect Donald Trump criticizing the U.N., adding: “I could not have said it better myself.”
Look to the sky for New Year's Eve comet
Apart from the traditional fireworks and illuminated ball in Times Square, look for a blazing comet to light the night sky on New Year’s Eve. The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory said a comet may be visible as people welcome in 2017 on Saturday. “Say farewell to 2016 in cosmic style by looking up to see the #NewYearsEve #comet on December 31,” the laboratory said in a Wednesday Instagram post.
Bears Ears and Gold Butte: Obama creates two nature preserves
President Barack Obama has unilaterally designated two new "national monument" nature preserves in the western US states of Nevada and Utah. The Bears Ears National Monument and the Gold Butte National Monument will protect areas rich in Native American artefacts from energy drilling. Some Republicans in those states are opposed to the move and say it amounts to a federal land-grab.
Venezuela: President Maduro extends money swap deadline
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has again extended the deadline to withdraw from circulation the country's most common currency note. The deadline had been set for 2 January but will now be on 20 January. Mr Maduro said he did not want Venezuelans to worry about exchanging the currency near the New Year festivities.
In strong attack on Israel, German foreign minister says settlements jeopardize peace
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, a staunch proponent of the Iran nuclear deal, has slammed Israel in a series of tweets and statements since last Friday’s Security Council resolution condemning Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria. In a statement issued to Germany’s largest circulation daily...the Foreign Ministry claimed that “a democratic Israel is only achievable through a two-state-solution.”
Russia moves to expel US diplomats in response to sanctions
The Russian foreign ministry has called for the expulsion of 35 US diplomats in response to a similar move by Washington. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev accused the outgoing administration of President Barack Obama of ending in "anti-Russian death throes".
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