Bible Prophecy and End Times Events. Jesus Christ gave specified prophecies for the end times church to look for just before the return of Christ. www.Bibleprophecyman.com is dedicated to bringing cutting edge information on a daily basis to equip the church and the unbeliever on end times biblical prophecy.
Bible prophecy documentary book download proving our generation will see the return of the Lord. Do you want to know what is going to happen in the future before it actually takes place? The Word of God provides you with specific details about our future and all of these things are coming to pass in this generation. If you aren’t saved yet this is a must read!
Bible prophecy documentary book download proving our generation will see the return of the Lord. Do you want to know what is going to happen in the future before it actually takes place? The Word of God provides you with specific details about our future and all of these things are coming to pass in this generation. If you aren’t saved yet this is a must read!
~Scroll down for all the news; please be sure to CLICK on the photos for all Bible verses pertaining to each news story~
Headline: 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. Another new company is to be established next year, according to military sources. At that time, Yahalom is expected to move from its base near Petach Tikvah to Camp Julis in southern Israel. Military forces fighting on behalf of the Syrian government have been cited numerous times for their use of chemical weapons against the civilian Syrian population during the ongoing civil war across Israel’s northern border. In addition, there has been recent evidence that the Islamic State (Da’esh or ISIS) terrorist organization may also have begun using chemical weapons in some of their operations as well. As early as 2015, ISIS was trafficking in chemical weaponry in Europe, according to a European Union parliamentary report. Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: 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
France has repeatedly tried to breathe new life into the peace process this year, holding a preliminary conference in June where the United Nations, European Union, United States and major Arab countries gathered to discuss proposals without the Israelis or Palestinians present. The plan was to hold a follow-up conference before the end of the year with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas involved to see whether the two sides could be brought back to negotiations and revive moribund peace talks. Dec. 22, 2016
Headline: Hezbollah, Israel both mum on recent escalation
Headline: 'Netanyahu should ask Trump to recognize Israeli sovereignty in the Golan'
Israeli Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz pledged on Dec. 14 that his government would seek US recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights during the Donald Trump administration. His statement came in the wake of recent bolder-than-usual Israeli attacks against Syrian and Hezbollah interests. On Dec. 7, the Israeli army targeted the Syrian heartland, hitting the Mazzeh air base with several surface-to-surface missiles. The base, southwest of Damascus, is home to Syrian air force intelligence headquarters. Another strike was reported later that same night, targeting Hezbollah sites near the Syrian capital, in the Zabadani area. The airstrikes were the second within a week in Syria attributed to Israel. Another attack had been reported Nov. 30, on an arms convoy near Damascus. International media suggested that Israel had hit the convoy because it was transferring weapons to Hezbollah, which is currently engaged in the Syrian war in support of President Bashar al-Assad's forces. The strikes are indicative of the long-running covert war between Hezbollah and Israel. Avi Melamed, an Israeli affairs expert at the Eisenhower Institute in Washington, told Al-Monitor that the repeated Israeli attacks shed light on Israel’s main priorities in Syria. He observed, “Israel has made it clear that it won’t accept Hezbollah's attempts to acquire what is defined by Israel as ‘balance breaking’ weapons, such as weapons of mass destruction, advanced ground-to-air missiles, etc.” “Israel won’t tolerate attacks being launched from Syrian territory on its home turf, including the Golan Heights, or allow Iran to establish and operate a new military front against Israel on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights,” Melamed explained. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should use his upcoming meeting with US President-elect Donald Trump to pursue formal US recognition of Israeli sovereignty in the Golan Heights, Deputy Minister for Diplomacy Michael Oren (Kulanu) told Bloomberg on Wednesday. Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: U.S. intended to allow passage of U.N. draft critical of Israel: officials
Headline: Trump Saves the Day on Obama-Backed Anti-Settlements UNSC Resolution
The United States intended to allow the U.N. Security Council to approve a resolution demanding an end to Israeli settlement building, two Western officials said on Thursday, a major reversal of U.S. practice, which prompted Israel to ask President-elect Donald Trump to apply pressure. In a day of intense diplomatic wrangling on one of the thorniest Middle East conflicts, Egypt, which had proposed the draft resolution, abruptly put off a vote that had been scheduled for Thursday afternoon. Diplomats said Cairo had acted under pressure from Israel and to avoid alienating Trump, who spoke to the Egyptian president and urged the White House to use its veto. By late Thursday, four Security Council members had given Egypt an ultimatum and threatened to put the draft resolution to a vote. The two Western officials said President Barack Obama had intended to abstain from the vote, a relatively rare step by the United States to register criticism of the building on occupied land that Palestinians want for a state. The government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has had an acrimonious relationship with Obama, believes the Obama administration had long planned the council vote in coordination with the Palestinians, the senior Israeli official said. "It was a violation of a core commitment to protect Israel at the U.N.," the official said. The White House had no immediate comment. Dec. 22, 2016
Headline: Security Council approves 'anti-settlement' resolution
Headline: Israel ambassador Danon blasts “disgraceful resolution”
Headline: Israel furious at Washington’s abstention at UN: ‘This isn’t how friends behave’
Headline: 'A day of victory', says Palestinian official after UN Security Council settlement vote
The UN Security Council on Friday approved the resolution demanding that Israel halt its construction in Judea, Samaria, and eastern Jerusalem. 14 member states voted in favor of the resolution, which was resubmitted by New Zealand, Malaysia, Senegal and Venezuela a day after Egypt, which originally submitted it, withdrew it. The United States abstained from the vote and did not use its veto power to stop the resolution. Soon after it was announced that the resolution would be voted upon, senior Israeli officials attacked U.S. President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry. “Obama and Kerry are behind this shameful move in the United Nations,” the officials said, according to Haaretz. “Obama could announce at any time that he intends casting a veto on the resolution, but instead he’s pushing it. He is abandoning Israel and breaking a policy of decades to defend Israel in the UN,” they added. One senior official added that Obama and Kerry were carrying out the move in the UN “in cahoots with the Palestinians” in an attempt to impose a policy on President-elect Donald Trump. Dec. 23, 2016
Headline: Hezbollah: Aleppo fall means efforts to oust Assad have ‘failed’
The Syrian army’s recapture of Aleppo has put an end to hopes that President Bashar Assad’s regime could be ousted, the head of Lebanon’s powerful terror group Hezbollah said Friday. “After Aleppo, one can comfortably say that the goal of regime downfall has failed,” Hassan Nasrallah, whose Shiite party has fought alongside Assad’s forces since 2013, said in a televised address. “Because the regime has Damascus and Aleppo — the two biggest cities in Syria — and Homs, Hama, Latakia, Tartus, Sweida… this regime is present, strong, effective, and no one in the world can ignore it,” Nasrallah said. Dec. 23, 2016
Headline: ISIS BLOODBATH: Turkey kills 1,005 terrorists in major assault in Syria in Russia REVENGE
Headline: Gruesome ISIS video shows Turkish soldiers burned alive
Turkish soldiers have entered the centre of strategically-vital al-Bab in northern Syria in a major blow to fanatical Islamic State as Ankara claimed to have killed more than 1,000 terrorists. Al-Bab (Aleppo province) had been surrounded by Turkish and Free Syrian Army forces in the last 24 hours and troops have now begun entering the centre of the city. 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.” Some of the most intense fighting on Wednesday centred on a hospital area on a hill overlooking al-Bab that had been used by ISIS as a weapons and ammunition store. Turkish air strikes on Wednesday destroyed 67 ISIS targets, the military said. Turkey’s military action in Syria falls under Operation Euphrates Shield, which began on August 24 to rid the northern border area of terrorist groups that Ankara said were launching attacks inside Turkey. Dramatic footage purportedly showed Turkish jets unleashing a bombing raid on al-Bab. A total of 35 Turkish soldiers have been killed since the start of Turkey-backed incursion into northern Syria in August. Turkey's defence minister said on Thursday 1,005 ISIS militants have been "neutralised" during the same period. Dec. 23, 2016
Headline: Syria's Assad thanks Russia for being main partner in Aleppo
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday for having been Syria's main partner in the retaking of Aleppo from rebel forces, and said the city's fall had opened the door to a political process. The two leaders spoke by phone and discussed the way forward for Syria after almost six years of war, according to a statement published by the office of the Syrian Presidency. Dec. 23, 2016
Headline: Four aid workers killed by ISIS mortar fire in eastern Mosul
The United Nations condemned the killing of civilians and aid workers in two separate incidents in Mosul city, in Iraq’s northwestern Nineveh Governorate. At least four aid workers and at least seven civilians queuing for emergency assistance in eastern Mosul city have been killed by indiscriminate mortar fire, with up to forty others injured. “This is completely unacceptable and we condemn these actions in the strongest terms,” said Ms Lise Grande, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq. The civilians and aid workers were killed in the neighbourhood of Kokajli that was captured by the Iraqi forces in November. “People waiting for aid are already vulnerable and need help. They should be protected, not attacked,” said Ms Grande. “All parties to the conflict have an obligation to uphold international humanitarian law and ensure that civilians survive and receive the assistance they need.” Dec. 23, 2016
Headline: Erdogan Prods Albanian President To Fight 'Gulenists'
Turkey's President has once again urged Albania to fight against so-called "Gulenists", known in Turkey as the FETO organization, during the Albanian President's visit to Ankara. On Wednesday in Ankara, during a meeting with Albanian President Bujar Nishani, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan showed impatience over Albania's existing measures against supporters of the exiled Muslim cleric, Fetullah Gulen. "Today we discussed the Fethullah Terrorist Organization, FETO, which is a common security threat against the two brotherly nations. I personally thank President Nishani for Albania’s support in Turkey’s fight against the FETO. Our demands from Albania for its fight against structures which threaten Turkey are our rightful expectation," Erdogan said. In his speech, Erdogan recalled the ties that connect both countries, adding that the Namazgah Mosque, which is under construction, will be a gift to the Albanian nation. On the other hand, he recalled Turkey's help to the Albanian people with its recognition of Kosovo's independence. "As [Turkish state founder] Mustafa Kemal [Atatürk] said once, we love the Albanian nation. We know them as brothers and never see them far from us," Erdogan said. Dec. 22, 2016
Headline: Iran shoots down a filming drone in Tehran over security concerns
Iran's anti-aircraft forces shot down a drone in central Tehran on Friday as it approached the offices of the president and the supreme leader, but the unmanned aircraft later appeared to have been operated by a film crew shooting aerial footage for a documentary. Residents in central Tehran heard loud gunfire and an explosion, they said on social media. ILNA news agency quoted an unnamed source as saying that the drone was shot down as "it approached the no-fly zone" near the office of the supreme leader. The source later explained that the drone belonged to a documentary-making team that had permission to film but "unintentionally started moving it towards the no-fly zone." Tehran's deputy governor general for security affairs, Mohsen Hamedani, was quoted by ISNA as saying that the state television crew were filming Friday prayers and "did not know about the prohibited airspace." Pasteur Street in central Tehran is highly secured as key government institutions are located there. The commander of Tehran air defence forces said in August that the capital's airspace was under full control and "no aircraft can enter it without permission." Dec. 23, 2016
Headline: Taliban: Peace Talks Not Possible Until Foreign 'Occupation' of Afghanistan Ends
Headline: Taliban assaults member of parliament’s home in Kabul
The Taliban has rejected latest United Nations calls for engaging in peace talks with the Afghan government, and instead demanded the world body pressure U.S.-led foreign troops to end their “occupation” of Afghanistan if the U.N. truly wants an end to the 15-year war. “Our fight is for independence, and as long as foreign occupation forces are present here (in Afghanistan) any talk about peace and reconciliation is meaningless,” Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, told VOA Friday. He was responding to a renewed call for Afghan peace talks earlier this week by Tadamichi Yamamoto, who heads the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, or UNAMA. In his quarterly briefing to the Security Council in New York on Monday, Yamamoto urged the Taliban to enter into direct talks with the Kabul government, without preconditions, to prevent further bloodshed in the country. “We all know that the conflict in Afghanistan has no military solution. The Taliban leadership must reconsider the notion that their objectives can only be achieved on the battlefield,” noted the UNAMA chief. Dec. 23, 2016
Headline: U.S. Push for South Sudan Arms Embargo Falls Short at U.N.
The United States failed on Friday to gain the votes in the United Nations needed to impose targeted sanctions and an arms embargo on South Sudan, the world’s newest country, which has plunged into an ethnic conflict in which officials from the world body warn of the risks of genocide. A United Nations Security Council resolution offered by the United States received only seven votes in favor, with eight abstentions. A resolution needs nine votes in the 15-member Council to pass, and no vetoes from any of the five permanent members. Ambassador Samantha Power of the United States, speaking after the vote, warned that there would be a cost of imposing “no cost” on the combatants in South Sudan. “We are very, very worried about what lies ahead, and we think it’s very important that people’s votes are on the record,” Ms. Power said. “When the U.N. is warning genocide, eight countries chose not to be counted when it mattered for the people of South Sudan.” Dec. 23, 2016
Headline: Pro-Gaddafi aeroplane hijackers arrested, all 118 passengers and crew unharmed, weapons revealed to be replicas
Two Muammar Gaddafi loyalists who hijacked an internal Libyan flight carrying two pistols and a hand grenade were arrested after diverting the plane to Malta this morning and then surrendering. In a surprising twist, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat tweeted at 6.45pm that forensic examinations had discovered that the weapons used by the hijackers were replicas. Following a brief standoff, all the passengers and crew were allowed to exit the plane without violence. Dec. 23, 2016
Headline: Algeria Deepens its Isolation by Endorsing Assad and Iran in Syria
Algeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ramtane Lamamra recent statement hailing the Assad’s regime liberation of Aleppo may have just sealed the fate of his country’s relations with the Arab nations of the Gulf. His disregard to the deaths of thousands of women and children at the hands of the Iraqi, Lebanese and Iranian Shiite militias is a sign of an Algerian regime adrift with no clear leadership or policy. Algeria has displayed an extraordinary disregard to the suffering of tens of thousands of defenseless Syrian civilians as it stands with the Russian discriminate shelling of Syrian civilians, declared a prominent figure in the Syrian opposition. During a TV appearance, a leader of the Syrian opposition called Lamamra’s comments saluting “the liberation of Aleppo from the hands of the terrorists” as immoral and criminal. While All Arab and Muslim countries must condemn the atrocities committed by some rebel groups namely Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (JFS formerly know as Jabhat al-Nusra) and the so-called Islamic State (ISIS), Algeria’s discount of Assad and Russian’s carnage in Syria while calling all opposition groups terrorists is still inexplicable. Dec. 23, 2016
Headline: Russia Ratifies Agreement to Create Joint Air Defense System with Armenia
The Russian Federation Council—the upper house of Russia’s Parliament—ratified an agreement with Armenia aimed at creating a joint air defense system at a parliamentary session on Dec. 23, reported Russia’s Sputnik International. The purpose of the agreement is to improve the air defense system in the Caucasus. The main command of the troops will be headed by Russia, while separate special divisions will be headed by Armenia. The agreement was made for a term of five years with the possibility of an automatic prolongation for a further five-year period, according to the report. The Armenian National Assembly ratified the agreement on June 30. The ratification of the agreement also comes after Russia and Armenia signed an agreement establishing joint military forces in late November. Dec. 23, 2016
Headline: Man wanted for Berlin Christmas market terror attack shot dead in Milan
Headline: Berlin truck terrorist pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al Baghdadi in video
Headline: Morocco 'warned Germany of Anis Amri terror threat weeks before Berlin attack'
Italian police shot dead the man believed to be 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. The suspect - 24-year-old Tunisian Anis Amri - traveled to Italy from France, triggering a spate of criticism from eurosceptics over Europe's open-border Schengen pact. Militant group Islamic State acknowledged Amri's death and his suspected role in the German attack - for which it has claimed responsibility - through its Amaq news agency. "The executor of the Berlin attacks carries out another attack on Italian police in Milan and is killed in a shoot-out," it said. Milan police chief Antonio De Iesu told reporters that Amri had arrived in Milan's main railway station from France at around 1 a.m. and had then travelled to Sesto San Giovanni, where two young policemen approached him because he looked suspicious. "We had no intelligence that he could be in Milan," De Iesu said. "They had no perception that it could be him otherwise they would have been much more cautious." Dec. 23, 2016
Headline: University of Maryland 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, American Indian, Black, Latinx, LGBTQIA+, Muslim, Pro-Palestine, and Undocumented" students. Muslim students, for instance, want “one room in each major building designated for prayer” and “shuttle services to [the local mosque] for Muslim students to have access to a place of worship.” Dec. 23, 2016
Headline: Region to Send in Troops if Gambia President Won't Step Down
West African leaders will send troops into Gambia if its longtime ruler who lost elections does not step down next month, the president of the Economic Community of West African States said Friday. Marcel de Souza told reporters that the regional bloc has chosen Senegal to lead any military intervention if President Yahya Jammeh does not hand over power. "The deadline is Jan. 19 when the mandate of Jammeh ends," de Souza said. "If he doesn't go, we have a force that is already on alert, and this force will intervene to restore the will of the people." This would not be the first time the bloc has intervened in a regional crisis. De Souza spoke to reporters in Bamako, Mali, even as ECOWAS continues to use diplomacy to get Jammeh to accept his Dec. 1 defeat. Jammeh at first shocked Gambians by accepting defeat but announced a week later he had changed his mind. He says irregularities in the vote count made him question the win of Adama Barrow, a little-known businessman who was the opposition coalition candidate. Troops seized the office of Gambia's electoral commission after Jammeh's later announcement, and he has mobilized troops across the tiny country that is almost completely surrounded by Senegal. Dec. 23, 2016
Headline: 2 more Ukrainian troops killed in eastern Ukraine
At least two Ukrainian troops have been killed and three injured in the past 24 hours in renewed fighting in eastern Ukraine, an official said Friday. Fighting between Russia-backed separatists and Ukrainian government troops has killed more than 9,600 people since the conflict began in April 2014. A 2015 cease-fire deal did not completely stop fighting but did lower its intensity. Andriy Lysenko, spokesman for the Ukrainian defense ministry, said in a statement that Ukrainian casualties continue to mount after what Kiev says was a rebel offensive southeast of the rebel stronghold Donetsk. Dec. 23, 2016
Headline: What India Has Done To Its Money Is Sickening And Immoral
This story appears in the January 24, 2017 issue of Forbes.
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. The economic turmoil has been compounded by the fact that the government didn't print a sufficient amount of the new bills, lest word leak out as to what was about to take place. The new bills are also a different size than the old ones, creating a huge problem with ATMs. Even though India is a high-tech powerhouse, hundreds of millions of its people live in dire poverty. Many workers are leaving the cities to go back to their villages because so many businesses are closing. Countless companies are having difficulty meeting payroll, as they can't get the cash to do so. The real estate market has tanked. Dec. 23, 2016
Headline: China reports at least 7 bird flu cases so far this month
Headline: Seven cases of measles reported in L.A. County
China has reported at least seven cases of bird flu across China this month, including two deaths, as authorities sought to guard against an outbreak. State media reported five cases of H7N9 bird flu have been diagnosed in central Anhui province since Dec. 8, killing two. Shanghai officials said this week that a man was diagnosed with H7N9 and is being treated in a city hospital. Another case has been reported in Xiamen in coastal Fujian province, where poultry sales have been halted. A major H7N9 bird flu outbreak in humans first struck China in March 2013, killing more than 40 people and devastating the poultry industry. The strain is less virulent than the H5N1 strain that the World Health Organization says has killed more than 370 people. Dec. 23, 2016
Headline: Exclusive: 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, according to a message posted late-night Wednesday in the group’s “Secrets of Jihadis” social media group. A user going by the name of “Abu Marya al-Iraqi” posted an Arabic-language message calling “for bloody celebrations in the Christian New Year” and announced the group’s plans to utilize its network of lone wolf attackers to “turn the Christian New Year into a bloody horror movie.” The series of messages appeared in a pro-ISIS group on Telegram, which also provides manuals for the use and preparations of weapons and explosives for aspiring assailants. The information, distributed in a number of posts, was all previously available online and includes a public directory of churches across all 50 states. (Vocativ does not publish specific information found in lists like these.) In another group post, a member summoned “the sons of Islam” to target “churches, well-known hotels, crowded coffee shops, streets, markets and public places,” and shared a list of addresses in the United States, as well as in Canada, France and the Netherlands. Dec. 22, 2016
Headline: Molten iron river discovered speeding beneath Russia and Canada
Deep below our planet’s surface a molten jet of iron nearly as hot as the surface of the sun is picking up speed. 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 (see diagram, below). That is three times faster than typical speeds of liquid in the outer core. No one knows yet why the jet has got faster, but the team that discovered the accelerating jet thinks it is a natural phenomenon that dates back as much as a billion years, and can help us understand the formation of Earth’s magnetic fields that keeps us safe from solar winds. Dec. 19, 2016
All earthquakes are instantly posted to the ETRM Facebook page- you do not need to sign up; click the photo below to see the earthquake album ***beginning November 29, 2016, earthquakes of a 5.0 magnitude and higher will be posted
~click the photo to see ALL the maps of the large earthquakes for the current year~
Headline: What’s shaking? List & map of USGS Earthquakes~Click the shaking house~
Bible prophecy documentary book download proving our generation will see the return of the Lord. Do you want to know what is going to happen in the future before it actually takes place? The Word of God provides you with specific details about our future and all of these things are coming to pass in this generation. If you aren’t saved yet this is a must read!
~Scroll down for all the news; please be sure to CLICK on the photos for all Bible verses pertaining to each news story~
Headline: 'Moving embassy to Jerusalem would be great for peace'
Headline: Trump’s pick for US envoy to Israel wants embassy in Jerusalem
Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Ron Dermer, on Tuesday welcomed President-elect Donald Trump’s pledge to move the American embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, urging the incoming Trump administration to move forward with the move. Speaking at a Hanukkah reception at the Israeli embassy in Washington and quoted by The Associated Press, Dermer said that moving the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem would be a "great step forward" for peace. He added that doing so would send a "strong message against delegitimization of Israel." Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: Outgoing secretary general says UN is obsessed with Israel
The large volume of anti-Israel resolutions passed in recent years has rendered the United Nations unable to “fulfill its role effectively,” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said. Addressing the UN Security Council on Dec. 16, Ban said: “Over the last decade I have argued that we cannot have a bias against Israel at the UN. Decades of political maneuvering have created a disproportionate number of resolutions, reports and committees against Israel. “In many cases, instead of helping the Palestinian issue, this reality has foiled the ability of the UN to fulfill its role effectively.” Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the UN, said that in the past decade “the UN passed 223 resolutions condemning Israel, while only eight resolutions condemning the Syrian regime as it has massacred its citizens over the past six years. This is absurd.” “With a new Secretary General set to take office next month, we look forward to the possibility of a new era of fairness at the UN,” Danon added. Ban’s tenure as UN chief ends on Jan. 1. His successor is Antonio Guterres, the former prime minister of Portugal. In his Dec. 16 address, Ban went on to add that “Israel needs to understand the reality that a democratic state which is run by the rule of the law, which continues to militarily occupy the Palestinian people, will still generate criticism and calls to hold her accountable.” The UN recently passed a series of anti-Israel resolutions during its annual “International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People”. Those resolutions came amid a period of increased violence by Palestinians against Israelis. Dec. 20, 2016
Headline: Report: Israeli Defense Chief Wants IDF to Buy New Surface-to-Surface Missiles That Would Bolster Jewish State’s Striking Power
Israel’s defense chief has ordered the IDF to look into purchasing hundreds of new surface-to-surface missiles that would bolster the Jewish state’s striking power, the Hebrew news site nrg reported on Tuesday. The Israeli-made missiles Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman wants the IDF to acquire have a range of 250 kilometers (around 155 miles) and can carry warheads weighing up to 450 kilograms (just under 1,000 pounds). “We have no choice,” an unnamed Israeli security official was quoted by nrg as saying. “I think reality requires us to diversify and missiles of this type give us many options.” The buying of such missiles — with their superior accuracy and potency — would “mark a significant change in our approach and outlook,” the official continued. Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: ISIS and other terrorist threats besetting Israel from its Golan border in the north and its Sinai border in the southwest, have spread to its southeastern border in Jordan
The city of Berlin and the Jordanian Crusader town of Al-Karak are 3,000km apart, but the distance did not stop Islamic State killers from taking 26 lives, inuring 18 others, some very seriously,in the two countries, and causing the Israeli Dalia Elkayam to disappear. In Berlin, German security is out in force to hunt the terrorist who rammed a hijacked Polish truck into a throng of Christmas gift seekers. They are trying to find a needle in a haystack with no clue as whether he operated alone or was part of a gang ready to strike again, a method of operation that recalls the multiple Paris atrocity which claimed 132 lives before it was over. In Jordan, the terrorists followed up on their first shooting attack on police and the taking of tourists hostage by three days of gun battles with security forces in the alleys of Karak. Four soldiers were killed by ISIS terrorists barricaded in a building. Nonetheless, they Obama administration stuck to its standard refrain, refusing to credit ISIS with the attack in Berlin without corroboration, even after its claim of responsibility - meaning that US intelligence’s failure to identity the perpetrators exculpates ISIS. So Washington can continue to bury its head in the sand. In Jerusalem, too, the government ignored the fighting against rampant Islamic terrorists raging for three days in southern Jordan, just 20km away from the Israeli border – as though it happened on another planet.. Indeed, Israel suddenly finds itself with a new strategic dilemma. Threatened with ISIS and other terrorist groups from its Golan border in the north and its Sinai border in the southwest, Israel is now beset from its southeastern border in Jordan. Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: Report: ISIS in Sinai choking Gaza-based Hamas
ISIS terrorists in the Sinai Peninsula are reportedly fighting and weakening Hamas, the Islamic terror group that rules the Gaza Strip. The Islamic State (ISIS) affiliate in the Sinai Peninsula has previously cooperated with Gaza’s Hamas terror organization in generating attacks in the area, but now the two groups are feuding, with ISIS shutting down the smuggling tunnels running from Sinai into Gaza, cutting of Hamas’ lifeline. Asharq al-Awsat reported on Monday that ISIS in Sinai, for the past several weeks, has been prohibiting traders from Rafah from bringing commodities into the Gaza Strip ever since Hamas had stopped its coordination with ISIS and arrested hundreds of its supporters. Palestinian sources told the news outlet that ISIS is also confiscating weapons and ammunition as well as raw materials that were en route to Hamas, which are generally used for manufacturing rockets and bombs. Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: After Aleppo Victory, Assad Could Try to Retake Israel Border Area
Headline: Israel and Hezbollah's Golan calculations
The effective surrender of the rebels in Aleppo heralds the end of the battle for the city. The conquest of eastern Aleppo by President Bashar Assad’s regime and the forces supporting him will soon free up the Syrian dictator to address other military objectives, though reorganizing my take time. Assad has been projecting great self-confidence and a readiness to take back most of the territories seized by the rebel groups. The regime currently holds around 30 percent of the country’s area, but 70 percent of the Syrian population lives there, including in the large cities of Damascus, Aleppo, Homs and Hama. His military successes may motivate Assad to take steps – which will require Iranian and Russian backing – to reoccupy the border area with Israel on the Golan Heights. That, of course, is Israel’s most critical point of interest, though it isn’t pleased with the regime’s victory in Aleppo. Today there is almost no presence of anyone identified with Assad near the border, other than on the Syrian part of Mount Hermon and the new town of Quneitra (where Syrian army forces are stationed at some distance from the border) and in the Druze village of Khader (where there are Druze militias connected to the regime). The rest of the territory near the border fence is controlled by local rebel organizations, while the Syrian side of the triangle formed by the borders of Syria, Jordan and Israel, in the southern Golan Heights, is dominated by a branch of ISIS. Dec. 20, 2016
Headline: State files petition to delay Amona evacuation
The State Attorney's Office filed a petition to the Supreme Court Tuesday evening to delay the evacuation of Amona by 45 days. The petition comes after the government and the residents of Amona approved a compromise solution which would allow 24 families from the community to remain on the same hill. The State Attorney's Office states in the petition that due to the complexity and sensitivity of the evacuation of more than 40 families and about 200 children from Amona, the state invested extraordinary efforts into finding a solution which would allow the community to be evacuated peacefully and without conflict, while minimizing any damage done to the residents. The Supreme Court has ordered that Amona be demolished by December 25. The state requested the delay in order to have time to prepare alternative housing at the new location for the residents. Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: Authorities crack down on suspected terrorists in Karak, other areas
Headline: Islamic State Claims Responsibility for Shootout at Jordanian Castle
Four Jordanian policemen were killed in clashes with radical militants during a raid on a village near the southern Jordanian city of Karak on Tuesday, said Mohammad Momani, minister of state for media affairs and government spokesman. The violence occurred just two days after a shootout between police and gunmen, holed up in the Crusader castle near Karak, 130 km south of Amman, left 14 people dead — 10 civilians including a Canadian tourist and four terrorists. Daesh claimed responsibility for the strike. Momani said the security agencies arrested a suspect related to the terrorists involved in Sunday’s attack, who confessed to hiding weapons in his apartment. “The police escorted him to his house; he ran inside and started shooting at the police personnel killing one of them. Reinforcements were deployed to the scene. The suspect was joined by other attackers hiding in the house,” Momani said. Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: Senior Israeli Military Officer: Hezbollah Using US Weaponry in Syria
Israel has informed the United States that Lebanese Hezbollah fighters in Syria are using U.S. armored personnel carriers originally supplied to the Lebanese Army, a senior Israeli military officer said on Wednesday. The U.S. State Department said last month that the American Embassy in Beirut was working to investigate images on social media purporting to show Hezbollah, which supports President Bashar al-Assad, displaying U.S. military equipment in Syria. Those images were widely reported to have been of U.S.-made M113 armored personnel carriers, which the State Department said were extremely common in the region. In an intelligence briefing to foreign reporters in Tel Aviv, the senior officer showed a photograph of military vehicles, which he said included U.S.-made armored personnel carriers (APCs), along a road. "These APCs are of the Hezbollah, while fighting in Syria, that they took from the Lebanese armed forces," he said in English, describing the guerrilla group as dominant in Lebanon. "We shared this information with other countries, including the U.S. of course, and I can even say that we recognized these specific APCs with some specific parameters that we know ... these were given to the Lebanese armed forces. It's not an assumption," said the officer, who under the rules of the briefing could not be identified by name, rank or position. Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: At least 22 dead in clashes in Yemen’s Taez
At least 22 people were killed in clashes between government forces and rebels on the outskirts of the flashpoint city of Taez in southwest Yemen, military sources said on Tuesday. The fighting late Monday north of Taez, held by loyalists but partly surrounded by Shiite Houthis and their rebel allies, left at least 14 rebels and eight soldiers dead, they said. Residents said relative calm was restored on Tuesday. In the north, two loyalist officers were killed in clashes around the Red Sea port town of Midi, the sources said, while a rights activist said a 13-year-old girl died when a shell fired by rebels crashed into her home in the southern province of Dhaleh. Yemen’s 20-month-old conflict has killed more than 7,000 people and wounded nearly 37,000, the United Nations says. Dec. 20, 2016
Headline: Turkish military claims it captured strategic roads in northern Syria
Headline: The last stage of Aleppo's evacuation begins
Headline: Iran brutalizing Aleppo, executing ‘most atrocious’ war crimes
Turkey's military said Wednesday morning that Turkish-backed Syrian rebel militias had taken full control of Syrian routes M4 and 212, the main roads connecting the cities of al-Bab and Aleppo. It marked the latest development in the "Euphrates Shield" operation, Ankara's invasion of northern Syria that is aimed at removing both ISIS and Kurdish forces from Turkey's southern border. Ankara announced the operation on August 24. Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force is accused of playing an extensive role in the destruction of Aleppo, an Iranian opposition group says in a new intelligence report. Among other things, the country is building a network of stations around the city and sending militia troops from Afghanistan, Iraq and Lebanon in to execute the brutal killings, the report – which was provided to the Washington Post - read. “The fact is that Aleppo has been occupied by the IRGC and its mercenaries,” the People’s Mujahedeen of Iran, the largest opposition group to the Islamic mullahs who rule Iran, said. “Mass executions, preventing the transfer of the civilians, including women and children, [and] attacking the civilians has all been done by the forces of the mullahs’ regime,” they added. Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: Syrian militia reaches Euphrates River in offensive to free Raqqa from Islamic State
The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces militia said it has reached the Euphrates River and seized a large area of territory in the offensive to liberate Raqqa from the Islamic State. The SDF's "Wrath of Euphrates" offensive is supported by a U.S.-led international coalition, which shares intelligence with allies and conducts airstrikes against the Islamic State, also known as Daesh, ISIL and ISIS. The offensive's second stage is approaching its second week of operations. In 10 days of the operation's second stage, the SDF said it freed 97 villages and dozens of other locations in about 500 square miles. "Our fighters have reached the Euphrates after liberating a large area from ISIS groups," the SDF said in a statement on Tuesday. SDF troops on Sunday reached the bank of the Euphrates River southwest of the village of Tiyasah, which splits up the Islamic States' territory between its stronghold in Raqqa and other IS-held territory. The SDF hopes to seize the villages of Haniyah, Bir Zaher, Karawan, Bir Zayed, and Toyhana to further expand the buffer zone. Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: 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. It was not immediately clear who was behind the blasts. Jihadist militants from so-called Islamic State (IS), whom Kurdish forces are battling in northern Iraq, have carried out similar attacks in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region. But the PDKI, which has been striving for decades for autonomy for predominantly Kurdish areas in north-western Iran, has also been involved in armed clashes with Iran's Revolutionary Guards. Fighting near the Iraqi border in June and July left several dead on both sides. Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: EU offers Turkey deeper trade ties despite political tensions
The European Commission proposed on Wednesday an expansion of its customs union with Turkey to include services and most agricultural goods despite increased political tensions with Ankara since an attempted military coup in July. The Commission, in a positive gesture after months of criticism of Ankara, said it had asked EU governments to endorse its bid to revamp a limited 1996 accord that eliminated tariffs on trade in industrial goods and processed farm products. The customs union was long seen as a precursor to eventual EU membership for Turkey, but accession talks launched in 2005 moved very slowly amid concerns over human rights and other issues. Those concerns have increased sharply since Turkey's large-scale purges of state institutions following the failed coup, prompting calls for the membership talks to be frozen. One EU official cast the plans for an updated trade deal, which will include sustainable development policies and public procurement, as a way to retain influence over a geopolitically important candidate country and neighbor. Under the deal, the EU envisages an annual increase of its exports to Turkey, its fifth largest trading partner, worth 27 billion euros ($28.21 billion) and a rise in Turkish exports to the bloc of 5 billion euros, particularly useful as Turkey's economy slows. The EU is Turkey's largest trading partner. Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: Iran to begin gas injection into new, advanced centrifuges
Iran’s nuclear energy agency indicated Tuesday that Tehran would soon begin injecting gas into the latest generation of advanced centrifuges, IR-8, in a move that marks the next step to make them operational and that Iran says is permitted under the terms of the nuclear deal signed last year with six world powers. “The IR8 tests have come to an end and they will go into the stage of gas injection in the next few weeks,” a spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Behrouz Kamalvandi, announced at a press conference on Tuesday, according to the semi-official Fars new agency. The report added that this step will proceed in accordance with “the nuclear deal that allows research activities on the eighth generation of Iran’s centrifuge machines, known as the IR-8.” Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: China, Britain issue statement on Afghanistan in London
China and the United Kingdom (UK) issued a statement on Afghanistan Wednesday at the 8th China-UK Strategic Dialogue held in London, saying that the two countries remain committed to their long-term support for the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and its people. "The future security and stability of Afghanistan are of vital concern to us, and we will continue to work closely together and with the international community to achieve a prosperous future for Afghanistan," the statement said. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to support an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led political settlement to the Afghan conflict. As members of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, China and the UK would continue to support international efforts to assist the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces in bringing safety and security to Afghanistan. The two countries expressed sympathy with the Afghan victims of the conflict and remain deeply concerned over the increase in civilian casualties. The two sides also paid tribute to the efforts and sacrifices of the international community, including the UN-mandated international security forces, for the peace and reconstruction of Afghanistan. Both sides, along with the government of Afghanistan, agreed to establish trilateral cooperation. On infrastructure development, "we plan to bring together Afghan, British and Chinese expertise to support the development of Afghan institutions and improve delivery of much-needed infrastructure," the statement said. Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: Ethiopia releasing nearly 10,000 detained under state of emergency
Ethiopia said Wednesday it is releasing nearly 10,000 people detained under its ongoing state of emergency but plans to charge almost 2,500 others accused of destabilizing the country. Deputy government spokesman Zadig Abraha told The Associated Press that 9,800 people were being freed. "They have been given lots of trainings ... so that they won't be part of the destructive trend that we have seen in the past," Zadig said. This East African country declared the state of emergency in October after nearly a year of anti-government protests that human rights groups say left hundreds dead. It was some of the country's worst violence since Ethiopia's ruling party came to power in 1991. Rights groups have accused the government of using excessive force. Most of the detainees are from the restive Oromia and Amhara regions. The government has said that under the state of emergency, people detained could be sent to rehabilitation centers without charges. Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: Japan resisting frustrated U.S. lobbying for South Sudan arms embargo
After threatening South Sudan with a U.N. arms embargo to encourage steps toward peace, the United States wants to impose the measure, but the 15-member Security Council is split and Washington cannot even convince ally Japan. U.S. frustration with Tokyo's resistance to an embargo and additional targeted sanctions spilled over on Monday when Samantha Power, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, publicly questioned the reluctance of Japan, which last month deployed troops to a U.N. peacekeeping mission in South Sudan. "It's a highly questionable logic to think that the way to keep your peacekeepers safe is to not support an arms embargo," Power told reporters. "Why would it be good for your peacekeepers to have a government whose people are starving spend what little money it has on weapons – large weapons systems – instead of on food?" she said. "It is in everyone's interest, including the peacekeepers, for there to be fewer heavy weapons." U.N. diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Japan privately expressed displeasure, describing Power's remarks as "not helpful and counterproductive." Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: US military ends anti-ISIS operation in Libya’s Sirte
The US military has officially ended operations in a former ISIS bastion in Libya, officials announced Tuesday. The Pentagon had launched Operation Odyssey Lightning to help local forces push the militants from the coastal city of Sirte on August 1. "In partnership with the Libyan Government of National Accord, the operation succeeded in its core objective of enabling GNA-aligned forces to drive Daesh (ISIS) out of Sirte," the US military's Africa Command said in a statement. US drones, gunships and warplanes had hammered ISIS positions, conducting a total of 495 strikes. "We are proud to have supported this campaign to eliminate ISIL's hold over the only city it has controlled outside Iraq and Syria," Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook told reporters, using an alternative ISIS acronym. Officials said the United States would continue to strike ISIS militants if the Libyan unity government asked for help in doing so. Unity government leader Fayez al-Sarraj on Saturday announced that military operations in Sirte were done, but IS still has fighters in Libya and on Sunday conducted a suicide attack in Benghazi. Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: Tunisians protest murder blamed on Israel
Hundreds protested in Tunis on Tuesday over the murder of a Tunisian engineer last week that Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas has blamed on Israel. Mohamed Zaouari, 49, was murdered at the wheel of his car outside his house in Tunisia’s second city Sfax on Thursday. He was hit by 20 bullets. Waving Tunisian and Palestinian flags, more than 200 protesters walked up a main thoroughfare in the Tunisian capital, an AFP correspondent said. “With our soul, with our blood, we will avenge you Palestine,” they chanted. Protester Mohammad Ammar said Zaouari was “a martyr with a capital M” and his murder was “a loss not only for Tunisia but also for Palestine and the Arab nation.” Dec. 20, 2016
Headline: EU Court says Western Sahara cannot apply to EU-Morocco deal
The European Union's high court says EU agreements on closer ties and trade with Morocco should not apply to the disputed Western Sahara region, a decision which the Polisario Front independence movement claimed as a victory. The EU's Court of Justice said Wednesday that any EU deal with Morocco should have specifically referred to the region and that the people there should have consented to being part of such an agreement if both sides wanted it included. The territory's status is among the most sensitive topics in the North African kingdom. Morocco considers the vast mineral-rich Western Sahara as its "southern provinces" and fiercely defends against anything it considers a threat to its territorial integrity. Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: California secession organizers say they've opened an embassy -- in Moscow
California gained an embassy in Russia last weekend, at least in the eyes of those who have promised to seek a statewide vote on secession, nicknamed "Calexit," in 2018. Louis Marinelli, a San Diego resident who is the leader of the group promoting an effort to turn the state into an independent country , organized the Moscow event that was publicized on social media. "We want to start laying the groundwork for a dialogue about an independent California joining the United Nations now," he said in an email Monday. Marinelli is currently working as an English teacher in Russia, and said he is there working on immigration issues related to his wife, who is a Russian national. The effort faces the longest of odds, requiring not only initial approval by California voters in 2018 but a subsequent special election in 2019. Even if successful then, the proposal would have to pass difficult if not insurmountable legal obstacles. Marinelli said he's not discouraged by the high hurdles. "All major social and political movements in this country take time and inevitably have to overcome failures and setbacks before they are ultimately successful," he said. Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: 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. Supporters of president-elect Donald Trump could find it difficult to reverse the decision. Canada also committed to a similar measure in its own Arctic waters, in a joint announcement with Washington. The White House said the decision was for "a strong, sustainable and viable Arctic economy and ecosystem." It cited native cultural needs, wildlife concerns, and the "vulnerability" of the region to oil spills as some of the reasons for the ban. But while Canada will review the move every five years, the White House insists Mr Obama's declaration is permanent. Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: Homeland Security gave Somalis tour of airports’ secured areas, documents confirm
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security gave groups of Somalis comprehensive tours of secured areas in at least three major U.S. airports, according to newly released documents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The “community engagement tours,” which included security briefings, were held in Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Columbus, Ohio. The records were released after a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request by Judicial Watch. “The briefings provided to the Somali groups were so sensitive that in 14 instances the agency redacted portions of the records under Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) exemption (B)(7)(e), the law-enforcement ‘risk circumvention’ exemption,” Judicial Watch said. Exemption 7(E) of the Freedom of Information Act “affords protection to all law enforcement information that would disclose techniques and procedures for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions, or would disclose guidelines for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions if such disclosure could reasonably be expected to risk circumvention of the law.” During a February 16, 2016, tour of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), a Somali group was provided briefings of the Global Entry system, APC [Automated Passport Control] system, secondary screening procedures, baggage-screening procedures and given tours of the airport’s holding cells/interview rooms. “The U.S. government has been aware for years that Minnesota is a hotbed of Somali terrorist-cell activity. The behind-the-scenes tours and security briefings of the Minneapolis airport very well could have created a threat to public safety,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. Dec. 20, 2016
Headline: Rights group says at least 26 killed in Congo protests
Security forces in Congo have killed at least 26 demonstrators and arrested scores more amid protests against President Joseph Kabila's hold on power, a rights group says. Military and police forces were firing live bullets, raising fears that more people were killed in the first day after Kabila's mandate expired, Human Rights Watch said. Its researcher Ida Sawyer said on Twitter late Tuesday that the killings took place in the capital, Kinshasa, the southern city of Lubumbashi and elsewhere. Residents told the group that Republican Guards were carrying out door-to-door searches and arresting youths. Protesters burned the headquarters of the ruling party in Kinshasa. Political talks between the ruling party and opposition, which stalled over the weekend, were expected to resume on Wednesday with mediators from the Catholic church. Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: Protests erupt outside German Chancellor's office
Crowds have gathered outside the Chancellory in Berlin just two days after the Berlin terror attack. Supporters of the Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) party are demonstrating outside Angela Merkel’s office. Placards reading “Merkel must go” are being waved in the crowd. Others read “protect borders” and “On Merkel's hands is the blood of her people”. People are also holding placards with the logo of the far right Identitarian movement (Identitaere Bewegung) reading "It's enough" and "How many times again". It comes two days after 12 people were killed in the German capital when a lorry ploughed into a busy Christmas market. AfD party leader Franke Petry said Mrs Merekl is finished in the wake of the terror attack. She said the the country was no longer safe and "radical Islamic terrorism has struck in the heart of Germany" as ISIS claimed responsibility for the massacre. Ms Petry told the Telegraph: "This is a terrible day, but it is not completely unexpected given the warnings from the security authorities, including about the prospect of an attack on Berlin. Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: Kremlin slams new U.S. sanctions, says may respond
Headline: Russia condemns Netherlands over US military cooperation
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. "We believe this damages bilateral relations ... Russia will take commensurate measures." The United States on Tuesday widened sanctions against Russian businessmen and companies adopted after Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the conflict in Ukraine. Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: Indonesia Police Kill 3 Suspected Militants, Defuse Bombs
Indonesian police said three suspected militants who were planning a holiday season suicide bombing were killed in a raid Wednesday on the outskirts of Jakarta in the second imminent attack to be foiled in less than two weeks. A residential neighborhood has been evacuated after several bombs were found in a house used by the men. Jakarta police chief Mochamad Iriawan said explosive experts had defused two bombs and were still in the house. The men planned to stage their attack on Christmas Day or New Year's Eve, Iriawan said in a televised interview from the neighborhood. They were to stab police officers in order to attract a crowd and then detonate bombs, he said. The three men were killed in a gun battle with the police's anti-terror squad after refusing an appeal from authorities to surrender and come out of the house in a leafy residential compound in Tangerang, a Jakarta satellite city. Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: Putin VOWS to OBLITERATE ISIS after assassination of Russia's ambassador to Turkey
Headline: ISIS spreads locations of Russian embassies online to incite more attacks
Headline: ‘Ludicrous claim’: US denies involvement in assassination of Russian envoy 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”. Mr Putin said this evening: “This murder is clearly a provocation aimed at undermining the improvement and normalisation of Russian-Turkish relations as well as undermining the peace process in Syria promoted by Russia, Turkey, Iran and other countries interested in solving this conflict in Syria. "The only response we should offer to this murder is stepping up our fight against terror. "The criminals will feel the heat. The Russian investigative committee has already launched an investigation into this killing and has been tasked with forming a working group that will fly to Ankara and join Turkish colleagues investigating this murder, something we agreed on in my phone conversation with the Turkish president just now. Meanwhile, The US roundly denied accusations of being involved in the killing of Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov, as Ankara links the chilling attack to Fethullah Gulen, a self-exiled Turkish cleric residing in Pennsylvania with Washington’s approval. Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: 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. The netting that once covered the submarine and a submersible test barge has been removed, and North Korea also appears to have completed work on the land area along the waters, a “reconfiguration [that] will allow the stand to test missiles with engines larger than the KN-11 SLBM last tested in August,” reports the website, 38 North. “These two factors suggest that both [submarine and submersible test barge] may have recently been at sea or are preparing to go to sea in the near future.” “There are numerous reasons why the GORAE or test barge would be put to sea other than testing missiles or their components, such as certification of personnel or validation of repairs. Therefore, based on satellite imagery alone, it is not possible to determine whether a SLBM test is imminent.” Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: China Seen Readying for Trade War During Trump Presidency
The possibility of a trade war between the United States and China loomed large over the horizon after the U.S. electoral college confirmed Donald Trump's presidency on Monday. China is expected to take a series of defensive and retaliatory measures to counter any U.S. moves to restrict the role of Chinese goods and currency movements in the American economy, as Trump has promised to do. "In the event of a trade war with the United States, China’s response would go well beyond tariff increases," said Mark Williams, Chief Asia Economist for Capital Economics. "U.S. companies would find their products and operations in China subject to tighter regulation that hampered their capacity to do business there." "U.S. exports of cars and aircraft would be in the firing line," he said. China might also subject U.S. companies to tighter regulation that hampers their capacity to do business. Beijing may also encourage its exporters by offering tax rebates to overcome any reduction in export demand in the U.S., Williams said. In informal discussions, Chinese officials say there is a lot of uncertainty about how the new U.S. president will handle relations with China, and preparations are being made to deal with varied scenarios. Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: E. China city reports new human H7N9 case
A new human H7N9 avian flu case was reported in Xiamen City, east China's Fujian Province, local authorities said Wednesday. The patient, a 44-year-old man from Siming District of Xiamen, was confirmed to have the virus on Sunday. He is being treated in hospital and is stable condition, the city's diseases prevention and control center said. The district government has ordered a halt to poultry sales in the district as of Thursday to reduce the risk of infection. H7N9 is a bird flu strain first reported to have infected humans in March 2013 in China. It is most likely to strike in winter and spring. Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: Thousands gather at Stonehenge to celebrate the shortest day of the year
Thousands of people, including pagans and druids dressed in traditional clothing, gathered at Stonehenge to celebrate the shortest day of the year. Spectators gazed up at the sky to witness the beginning of the winter solstice, the point at which the North Pole is tilted 23.5 degrees away from the sun. Some people offered prayers to gods, while others sounded trumpets, drums and other musical instruments. Visitors were seen rejoicing and embracing each other and kissing the stones, as the sun rose over Stonehenge at 8.13am. Kate Davies from English Heritage, which looks after the prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, said: "We were delighted to welcome approximately 5,000 people to Stonehenge to celebrate winter solstice this morning. "It was a very enjoyable and peaceful celebration and the ancient stone circle was filled with the sound of drumming and chanting." Although the entire day is typically considered to be the solstice, the precise moment it occurs is when the sun is directly over the line marking the latitude stretching across the southern hemisphere - the Tropic of Capricorn. Dec. 21, 2016
Headline: Ephemeral antimatter atoms pinned down in milestone laser test
Headline: First test of rival to Einstein’s gravity kills off dark matter
In a technical tour-de-force, 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. The null result is still a thrill for researchers who have been working for decades towards antimatter spectroscopy, the study of how light is absorbed and emitted by antimatter. The hope is that this field could provide a new test of a fundamental symmetry of the known laws of physics, called CPT (charge-parity-time) symmetry.
“It is amazing that one can control antimatter to an extent that this is possible,” says Michael Peskin, a theoretical physicist at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park, California.
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. This would cause the injection of high-temperature steam into surrounding rocks, said lead author Giovanni Chiodini, a researcher at Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology in Bologna. "Hydrothermal rocks, if heated, can ultimately lose their mechanical resistance, causing an acceleration towards critical conditions," he told AFP by email. It is not possible at this time to say when -- or if -- the volcano will erupt anew, he said. If it did, however, "it would be very dangerous" for the half-million people living inside and near the caldera, he added, using the scientific name for the bowl-like depression created after a volcano blows its top. Dec. 21, 2016
Snowflakes had been seen briefly only once in recorded history in the Sahara Desert at Ain Sefra, Algeria, and that was in 1979 -- until this Monday. This time, snow fell all day and accumulated on the ground. There are no official weather stations in that town, but this is the weather map (GFS Initialization) for Tuesday morning, showing temperatures of 35 degrees in the area. Farther north in Algeria and Morocco, temperatures were below freezing. Snow is unusual, but not rare, in those areas. A map of low temperatures this month in the region shows 37 at Bechar Ouakda Airport, to the Southwest of Ain Sefra, but 30 to the north and west.
All earthquakes are instantly posted to the ETRM Facebook page- you do not need to sign up; click the photo below to see the earthquake album ***beginning November 29, 2016, earthquakes of a 5.0 magnitude and higher will be posted
~click the photo to see ALL the maps of the large earthquakes for the current year~
Headline: What’s shaking? List & map of USGS Earthquakes~Click the shaking house~
Bible prophecy documentary book download proving our generation will see the return of the Lord. Do you want to know what is going to happen in the future before it actually takes place? The Word of God provides you with specific details about our future and all of these things are coming to pass in this generation. If you aren’t saved yet this is a must read!
~Scroll down for all the news; please be sure to CLICK on the photos for all Bible verses pertaining to each news story~
Headline: Hamas accuses Israel of killing its Tunisian drone expert
The Palestinian militant group Hamas has blamed Israel for the death of a Tunisian national it described as one of its drone experts. Mohamed Zaouari, 49, was shot dead at the wheel of his car outside his home in Tunisia's second city, Sfax, on Thursday. The Qassam Brigades, Hamas's armed wing, said he had worked for the "resistance" for 10 years. It declared a day of mourning and vowed to avenge Mohamed Zaouari's death. Israel has not responded to the claims. "Qassam Brigades mourns the martyr of Palestine, martyr of the Arab and Muslim nation, the Qassam leader, engineer and pilot Mohamed Zaouari, who was assassinated by Zionist treacherous hands on Thursday in Sfax," a statement posted on the group's website said. "The enemy must know the blood of the leader Zaouari will not go in vain," the statement added. No evidence at present points to Israeli involvement in his murder Dec. 19, 2016
Headline: 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. The soldiers were securing civilian engineering work near the border fence when they came under fire.There were no reports of injury or damage in the incident, but according to Channel 10 news, farmers in the area were advised by the army to stop working in the fields and to remain in their homes. The IDF responded shortly afterward with tank fire targeting Gaza-based Hamas positions, which according to Palestinian media was located south of the Al Buraige refugee camp. The cross-border incident comes days after a Hamas militant was assassinated in Tunisia. According to Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, Mohammed Zawari, who had been a member of the group for 10 years and supervising its drone program was gunned down in his car near his home close to the city of Sfax on Thursday. Hamas has blamed the Mossad, Israel’s foreign intelligence agency for his assassination and has warned that “"The enemy must know the blood of the leader Zawari will not go in vain.”
Headline: PLO will revoke Israel recognition if US moves embassy, top official warns
If the incoming Trump administration moves the US embassy to Jerusalem, the PLO will revoke its recognition of Israel, the prospect of a two-state solution will be over, and any hope of Israeli-Palestinian peace in the future will vanish, the top Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat warned on Monday. Speaking on a conference call organized by the Wilson Center policy forum in Washington, DC regarding expectations from the Trump administration, Erekat reeled off a list of what he said would be the consequences of President-elect Donald Trump honoring his campaign pledge and relocating the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Erekat said he would immediately resign as the chief Palestinian negotiator, and that “the PLO will revoke its recognition of Israel” as well as all previously signed agreements with Israel. Furthermore, said Erekat, all American embassies in the Arab world would be forced to close — not necessarily because Arab leaderships would want to close them, but because the infuriated public in the Arab world would not “allow” for the embassies to continue to operate. Dec. 19, 2016
Headline: Amona residents accept proposal to move, negating need for forceful evacuation
The Amona saga, which threatened the country with the specter of a violent evacuation, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a government-toppling crisis, moved toward resolution on Sunday when the outpost’s residents accepted a proposal keeping 24 families on an adjacent parcel of land. The remaining 16 families will be temporarily relocated down the hill to Ofra, awaiting the government’s plan to allocate a nearby plot of 5 hectares (12.35 acres) of land – classified as abandoned property – for the construction of the new Amona. The Amona residents accepted the deal in a vote of 45-25, with two abstentions. The government will now appeal to the High Court of Justice for a 30-day stay of its demolition order, under which the Amona outpost is to be destroyed because it was built on what was subsequently ruled to be private Palestinian property. The court had set this Sunday, December 25, as the deadline for removing the outpost. Dec. 18, 2016
Headline: Five dead, nine wounded in Jordanian gun attack
Unidentified gunmen on Sunday attacked a police station and patrols in southern Jordan killing five people, including a Canadian tourist, and wounding nine others including police, a security source said. The attack took place in Karak, a city and tourist destination known for one of the biggest Crusader castles in the region, located around 120 kilometers (roughly 70 miles) south of the capital Amman. “Five people were killed and nine others wounded, including policemen, when unknown gunmen attacked a police station and some patrols in Karak,” the source said on condition of anonymity, adding that police were hunting the gunmen and reinforcements were sent. Dec. 18, 2016
Headline: Lebanese PM in legal trouble in Saudi Arabia
A Saudi court gave Lebanese PM-designate Saad Hariri five days to implement a ruling. In a ruling published by al-Jazeera newspaper on Thursday, the Supreme Court in Riyadh gave Hariri five days to implement a ruling without clarifying the nature of this ruling. The court warned that if Hariri doesn’t implement the ruling in five days it will take the appropriate legal measures. The warning comes just a week after Saudi Oger’s attempt to restructure around 13 billion riyals ($3.5 billion) in debts have been dealt another blow after a second major creditor obtained a court order demanding the money it is owed by the construction group owned by Hariri. National Commercial Bank (NCB), Saudi Arabia’s largest bank, has obtained a court order against Saudi Oger, Reuters news agency reported, following a similar move against Saudi Oger by Samba Financial Group in July. Dec. 18, 2016
Headline: At least 49 soldiers killed in Yemen suicide blast
A suicide bomber killed at least 49 Yemeni soldiers in Aden on Sunday, the latest in a string of deadly bomb attacks against recruits in the war-torn country’s second city. Military officials and medics said many others were wounded in the attack that targeted a crowd of servicemen gathered to collect their salaries near a base in northeastern Aden. “The number of those killed has exceeded 40 with some 50 others wounded,” said Aden health chief, Abdel Nasser al-Wali, adding that the death toll is likely to mount due to “critical cases”. Medics had initially given a toll of 30 dead. The attack was carried out by a suicide bomber who immersed himself among soldiers crowding outside the house of the head of special security forces in Aden, Colonel Nasser Sarea, in al-Arish district, near al-Sawlaban base. Dec. 18, 2016
Headline: 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. "It is not a miracle meeting, but will give all sides a chance to listen to each other," the official said. All three countries have emerged as important players in Syria, with Iran and Russia strongly backing President Bashar al-Assad, while Turkey, a NATO member, would like to see him step down. Turkey's main priority however, is to ensure that Kurdish militias are unable to gain further territory in Syria along its borders. The Russian Defence Ministry said in a statement Tuesday's meeting would focus on how the multi-year conflict in Syria could be resolved and on fulfilling U.N. Security Council resolutions. Dec. 19, 2016
Headline: One Turkish soldier killed in car bomb attack in Syria's al-Bab (Aleppo province)
Headline: UN Security Council Approves Monitors for E. Aleppo
One Turkish soldier was killed in a car bomb attack in the northern Syrian town of al-Bab while 11 ISIS militants were killed in clashes on Sunday, the Turkish military said in a statement on Monday. It said Turkish warplanes on Sunday destroyed 52 Islamic State targets in the area of al-Bab, which is controlled by the jihadists. The strikes were part of the nearly four-month old "Euphrates Shield" operation to drive IS and a Kurdish militia away from the border area. Dec. 19, 2016
Headline: Idlib likely to be Syria's next bloody theatre after Aleppo
Headline: Syria issues largest army callup since Yom Kippur War
The battle for Aleppo has gripped the world, but it is hardly the only active front across war-torn Syria. One of the next targets for the forces of Syrian President Bashar Assad will probably be the heartland of rebel territory, the neighboring province of Idlib. The province west of Aleppo is a stronghold of Al Qaeda's Syria affiliate and is now also packed with tens of thousands of rebels, many of them evacuated from other parts of the country, making it likely to be an even more bloody theater than Aleppo. Idlib has direct links to the Turkish border, and is located only a few kilometers north of Hama, a central province and key point for defending Assad's coastal strongholds and nearby Russian military bases. Asked where he will turn to next, Assad has suggested his first priority, after fortifying the area around Aleppo city, would be Idlib. "Identifying which city comes next depends on which city contains the largest number of terrorists and which city provides other countries with the opportunity to support them logistically," he told Russian media outlets in an interview in Damascus this week. Dec. 19, 2016
Headline: Iraq’s FM: Iraqi militias in Syria are fighting without approval from Baghdad
Iraq's Foreign Minister, Ibrahim Jaafari, has said that Iraqi militias fighting with pro-government forces in Syria against Islamist militants are doing so without permission from the Iraqi government. The presence of Iraqi militias “does not represent the Iraqi government’s official stance,” Ibrahim al-Jaafari said in press statements at the ministry. “The government had not given permission to anybody, and Iraq does not intervene with the affairs of other countries”, he stressed. He, however, noted that “the Iraqi constitution does not prevent Iraqis from traveling anywhere”. The Iraqi militias played an important role in the recent liberation of Aleppo. Dec. 19, 2016
Headline: The Campaign for Mosul: December 13-19, 2016
Operations in eastern Mosul largely paused from December 13 to 19. The Counter Terrorism Service (CTS), which is bearing the brunt of the operation, is facing a degree of attrition that risks the successful completion of anti-ISIS operations in Mosul. Senior U.S. military officials reported that the U.S.-trained Golden Brigade, the first of three brigades of the CTS, is facing a 50% casualty rate and could be rendered combat ineffective in a month if the rate remains constant. The CTS has deliberately slowed operations in eastern Mosul in order to reduce the rate of attrition, and the ISF announced it will begin to rely more on artillery and precision airstrikes to target ISIS militants in response. These new tactics, however, will likely increase civilian casualties because ISIS militants continue to use Mosul’s civilian population as human shields. The ISF will either be forced to heavily deploy its assets from other areas of the country to match the capability of the elite CTS forces or to call up non-acceptable partners, such as the Popular Mobilization, to complete the current operation in Mosul.
Headline: Russia's ambassador to Turkey assassinated in Ankara
Headline: Russian ambassador killed by Nusra jihadist
Russia's ambassador to Turkey, Andrey Karlov, was assassinated Monday, shot in the back by a lone attacker while attending a private event at an Ankara art museum. Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that Karlov died in the shooting, which was captured on video and in photos by reporters who were at the scene. Russia called the incident an act of terror. Karlov was giving a speech at the event, hosted by the Ankara Center for Contemporary Art, when he was shot in the back about five times, the videos showed. Three other bystanders were shot, according to media reports, and taken to the hospital. Their conditions are unknown. The gunman — who was wearing a suit and had a police identification that allowed him to bypass the gallery's security — was shot dead by the Turkish police. Dec. 19, 2016
Headline: 1 killed, 22 injured in explosion at market in Kunduz, Afghanistan
One person was killed and at least 22 others injured in a blast from an improvised explosive device in Kunduz city, TOLOnews reported. The blast happened during rush hour on Monday at a busy bazaar in the city center, according to Afghan officials. Explosives had reportedly been packed onto a cart. No group has yet claimed responsibility. Dec. 19, 2016
Headline: U.N. chief fears genocide about to start in South Sudan
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday he feared genocide was about to start in South Sudan unless immediate action is taken, renewing his plea for the Security Council to impose an arms embargo on the country. "If we fail to act, South Sudan will be on a trajectory toward mass atrocities," Ban told the Security Council. Ban, noting that the U.N.'s special adviser on the prevention of genocide, Adama Dieng, has described genocide as a process, said, "I am afraid that process is about to begin unless immediate action is taken. "The Security Council must take steps to stem the flow of arms to South Sudan," he added. Political rivalry between South Sudan President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, and his former deputy Riek Machar, a Nuer, led to civil war in 2013 that has often followed ethnic lines. The pair signed a shaky peace deal last year, but fighting has continued. Machar fled the country in July. "Reports suggest that President Salva Kiir and his loyalists are contemplating a new military offensive in the coming days against the (Machar-allied opposition troops)," Ban said. "Moreover, there are clear indications that Riek Machar and other opposition groups are pursuing a military escalation." Dec. 19, 2016
Headline: Suicide bomber kills seven in Libyan city of Benghazi
Headline: IS Suicide Bomber Kills 8 Libyan Troops Near Benghazi
At least seven people were killed and eight wounded when a suicide bomber targeted forces loyal to Libya's eastern government in Benghazi on Sunday, medical and security officials said. Islamic State said it carried out the bombing, in the besieged district of Ganfouda. The area is one of the last pockets of resistance holding out against the Libyan National Army (LNA), a self-styled force loyal to eastern commander Khalifa Haftar. Dec. 19, 2016
Headline: Moroccan jihadist group merges with local Syrian faction
Harakat Sham al Islam, a jihadist group founded by and primarily comprised of Moroccans, has announced its merger with the local Syrian jihadist faction Harakat Fajr al Sham al Islamiyya. The two groups previously operated as part of the al Qaeda-linked alliance Jabhat Ansar al Din. According to a statement released on Twitter on Dec. 10, the two groups have merged under the Jabhat Ansar al Din name with a “total integration” of forces headed by former Harakat Fajr al Sham al Islamiyya leader Dr. Abu Abdullah al Shami. It goes on to read that “this blessed move comes at a desperate time in the Syrian Revolution and its blessed jihad to close the ranks, unite, and gather efforts.” This move reportedly came after “listening to the scholars and reformers on the need for unity” to protect the jihad in Syria. “Scholars and reformers” is a reference to the line peddled by al Qaeda officials for its efforts in Syria. The “need for unity” is one of the main reasons behind the Al Nusrah Front’s re-branding into Jabhat Fateh al Sham, along with many other smaller bands. Dec. 17, 2016
Headline: Hassan Rouhani to visit Armenia this week
According to Iranian media, Head of Iranian presidential press service Parviz Ishmael stated that meeting of Hassan Rouhani and President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, as well as signing of Memorandum of Trade and Economic Cooperation is planned within the frames of this visit. Iranian President, arriving Dec. 21st, will be accompanied by a number of ministers and heads of private companies. Businessmen of both countries will participate in a discussion on strengthening trade ties. Iranian President will visit Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan after leaving Armenia.
Headline: Berlin police says at least nine dead after truck plows into crowded Christmas market; attack believed
Headline: Europe: Christmas Shoppers in Jihadist Crosshairs
Headline: Three Wounded in Shooting near Zurich Islamic Center, Target Unclear
A truck plowing into a crowded Christmas market in Berlin on Monday causing multiple injuries is being treated as an attack, according to German news source DPA citing police sources. Berlin police said nine people have died and at least 50 people were injured when the truck drove into the Christmas market outside the landmark Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church on Monday evening. Local German media report that at first glance the incident was an attack on the Christmas market on the western part of Berlin. A policewoman reportedly told German media outlet Bild that there was at least one fatality. The incident is reminiscent of the truck terrorist attack in Nice, France this summer. Dec. 19, 2016
Headline: Venezuela Deploys National Guard As Venezuelans Protest Worthless Cash
Headline: Two Venezuelan officials killed in ambush; two others killed in revenge act
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. The riots were quickly put down, however, when National Guard troops were deployed to put down the unrest that broke out as far west as the Colombian border as well as smaller towns in the east, the WSJ reports. While many have speculated that things couldn't possibly get worse in Venezuela, they did over the past few days as the collapsing, cash-based economy suddenly finds itself without cash, worthless as it may be (one US dollar is worth between 2,500 and 4,500 Bolivars in the black market), and now with only nine days to go before Christmas, Venezuelans grappling with a collapsing economy and hyperinflation are also left without money. Only the Central Bank now accepts the remaining bill, and it will only do so until Tuesday at which point the paper money will be worth less than toilet paper, which Venezuela infamous does not have. Dec. 19, 2016
Headline: African Union forces in Somalia kill 11 civilians
Somalia residents say African Union soldiers killed 11 civilians in two separate incidents over the weekend. Traditional elder Mohamed Hassan says the first occurred when troops opened fire on a minibus in Qoryooley town in Lower Shabelle region on Sunday. He says all six passengers were killed. The African Union Mission for Somalia says it is investigating "the unfortunate incident in Qoryooley where civilians lost their lives in an attack." The force says on Twitter it will issue a statement on the other "allegations." In a separate incident, residents in Marka town say an AU armored vehicle smashed into a home, killing a mother and four children. Resident Ahmed Sheikh Ali says it occurred after a bomb attack targeted an army convoy. Somali officials were not available for comment Monday. Dec. 19, 2016
Headline: Military Deploys Across Congo's Capital as Kabila Stays on
Military and police deployed across Congo's capital on Monday amid fears of unrest on the last official day of President Joseph Kabila's mandate. He intends to stay on after the midnight deadline; a court has ruled he can remain in power until new elections, now postponed indefinitely, are held. Anger has been growing since it became clear that the vote once set for November would not take place on time. Political talks between the ruling party and the opposition, mediated by the Catholic church, stalled over the weekend and are set to resume Wednesday. The opposition has not officially called for demonstrations, though many observers expect Kabila's opponents to take to the streets as they did when the electoral commission failed to call the election. Human rights groups say more than 50 people died in the September unrest. "We can't demonstrate because of the police. They are patrolling and searching people," said Jean Eva, an unemployed young man talking with his friends. "Tonight it's the end of Kabila's mandate. At midnight, we are going to whistle to mark the end of the match. We'll whistle from our homes, in front of our doors. Lots of people got whistles." Dec. 19, 2016
Headline: 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. The rebels said they had thwarted a Ukrainian army assault near Debaltseve, killing 10 troops and wounding 20. The rebels also destroyed two infantry fighting vehicles, according to a commander in rebel-held Donetsk, Eduard Basurin. Dec. 19, 2016
Headline: China Moves ICBMs Near Tibet and Naval Fleet to Gulf of Aden (Video)
Headline: Muted U.S. Response to China’s Seizure of Drone Worries Asian Allies
Only a day before a small Chinese boat sidled up to a United States Navy research vessel in waters off the Philippines and audaciously seized an underwater drone from American sailors, the commander of United States military operations in the region told an audience in Australia that America had a winning military formula. “Capability times resolve times signaling equals deterrence,” Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr. told a blue-chip crowd of diplomats and analysts at the prestigious Lowy Institute in Sydney, the leading city in America’s closest ally in the region. 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 about 50 miles from the Philippines, another close American ally, has raised questions about one of the admiral’s crucial words. It was also 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. Dec. 18, 2016
Headline: Ukraine Nationalizes Largest Bank After Stability Concerns
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. What does this turmoil have to do with US Treasurys? China has been dumping them to stave off problems in its own house…. The US Treasury Department released its Treasury International Capital data for October, and what it said about the dynamics of Treasury securities is a doozie of historic proportions. Net “acquisitions” of Treasury bonds & notes by “private” investors amounted to a negative $18.3 billion in October, according to the TIC data. In other words, “private” foreign investors sold $18.3 billion more than they bought. And “official” foreign investors, which include central banks, dumped a net $45.3 billion in Treasury bonds and notes. Combined, they unloaded $63.5 billion in October. Dec. 19, 2016
Headline: Documents show U.S. has approved sale of Chicago Stock Exchange to Chinese firm
Headline: Puerto Rico Warns of $2 Billion Deficit If Forced to Pay Debts
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. The deal is still under review by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. If it also approves the deal, it would be the first sale of a U.S. exchange to investors from China. Last February, a group of 46 U.S. lawmakers asked CFIUS to examine the deal. They included Rep. Robert Pittenger, a North Carolina Republican on the Financial Services Committee and the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. Pittenger warned that China, which has been accused of corporate espionage, would have access to the data of U.S. companies who use the exchange. Dec. 18, 2016
Headline: Pagan priest granted right to wear horns in state ID photo
A pagan priest has won the right to remain horny in his Maine state ID photo. Phelan MoonSong, 56, was told in August that the goat horns he wears on his head — his “spiritual antenna” — would have to be removed for his state-issued ID. Citing religious freedom, the “Priest of Pan,” who subscribes to an Earth-based spirituality called Neopaganism, successfully fought for his right to wear the horns after telling Bangor Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) officials he was in touch with the American Civil Liberties Union. His ID arrived in the mail on Dec. 13 — but only after the pagan was made to prove the deep significance of his horns. Dec. 19, 2016
Headline: 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. A deep Atlantic low pressure system will stir things up on Saturday before another tears through the UK on Christmas Day. The violent superstorm will make landfall at around 6am on Christmas morning and will see air pressure drop more than 24 millibars over 24 hours - a so-called explosive cyclogenesis, or weather bomb. Dec. 19, 2016
All earthquakes are instantly posted to the ETRM Facebook page- you do not need to sign up; click the photo below to see the earthquake album ***beginning November 29, 2016, earthquakes of a 5.0 magnitude and higher will be posted
~click the photo to see ALL the maps of the large earthquakes for the current year~
Headline: What’s shaking? List & map of USGS Earthquakes~Click the shaking house~
Bible prophecy documentary book download proving our generation will see the return of the Lord. Do you want to know what is going to happen in the future before it actually takes place? The Word of God provides you with specific details about our future and all of these things are coming to pass in this generation. If you aren’t saved yet this is a must read!
~Scroll down for all the news; please be sure to CLICK on the photos for all Bible verses pertaining to each news story~
Headline: Netanyahu to Iran: ‘We’re not a rabbit, we’re a tiger’
Headline: Iran’s Rouhani: Jihad against Israel Only Path for Palestinians
Prime Minister Netanyahu conveyed a message through Kazakhstan to Iranian President Rouhani, saying that Israel ‘is not a rabbit, but a tiger.’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed determination and resolve against Iranian threats during his visit Wednesday in Kazakhstan. President Nursultan Nazarbayev had volunteered to transmit a message from Netanyahu to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who will be visiting Astana next week. “Ask him why Iran continues to threaten us with annihilation,” Netanyahu responded to Nazarbayev. “Don’t you understand: we’re not a rabbit. We’re a tiger.” Earlier in the day, the Iranian outlet Press TV reported on remarks by Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Khameini, who said that Israel will cease to exist within 25 years if unity is established between the Palestinians and the Islamic world at large. Khameini also stressed his country’s goal to “liberate Palestine.” Dec. 14, 2016
Headline: Nevada and Israel Sign Water Deal in First-of-its-Kind Agreement Between a US State and Mid-East Country
Nevada and Israel signed a memorandum of understanding on water-use innovation, marking what is reportedly a first-of-its-kind collaboration agreement between a U.S. state and a Middle 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. “Our private sector needs to partner with water-advanced countries like Israel to adopt new technologies and best practices in water management, which will help create jobs and grow our economy,” said Myron Brilliant, executive vice president and head of international affairs for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. Dec. 14, 2016
Headline: 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." In one of the published photos, a terrorist, whose face is obscured, can be seen readying one of the rockets for launch. Another photo later shows the rocket being launched. Dec. 15, 2016
Headline: Thousands rally in Gaza for anniversary of Hamas founding
Tens of thousands of Palestinians, including hundreds of gunmen and children waving mock weapons, rallied in Gaza on Wednesday in support of the Islamic terrorist group Hamas that rules the territory on the 29th anniversary of its founding. In a show of force for Hamas, loudspeakers blasted the group’s slogans through the streets as rockets mounted on pickup trucks rolled by. Hundreds of masked militants marched and dozens of children wielding imitation assault rifles attended with their families. Hamas official Khalil Haya, delivered a fiery speech at the rally full of rhetoric against Israel. He also called for reconciliation with the Fatah party, led by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas — but only under Hamas’ terms. Dec. 15, 2016
Headline: Palestinians preparing new Security Council draft – report
Headline: Report: US cuts all direct aid to PA
The Palestinian delegation to the United Nations has reportedly circulated a new draft of a resolution condemning Israel settlements that they hope to bring to a vote before US President Barack Obama leaves office next month. The draft is reportedly softer than one circulated earlier in the year, but still calls all the settlements, including Jewish neighborhoods in East Jerusalem, illegal, Israel Radio reported, noting that Egypt would submit the text for the Palestinians. The Palestinians pushed for the Security Council to adopt a resolution against settlements in February 2011 but it was vetoed by the United States. The 14 other Security Council members voted in favor of the resolution, reflecting the wide support for the draft which had over 100 co-sponsors. Dec. 15, 2016
Headline: Amona residents defend decision to reject compromise
Residents of Amona held a press conference Thursday afternoon during which they sought to explain their decision to reject a proposed compromise the previous night, which would have allowed them to transfer their homes to available land in a different area in the outpost on condition that their owners acquiesce in the evacuation of their original location. "The state made no commitment to anything and it is putting a gun to our heads,” said Avichai Boaron, who is heading the struggle against the evacuation. We have sacrificed our homes but we won’t agree to destroying our children’s souls.” Dec. 15, 2016
Headline: Yemen conflict: US cuts arms sales to Saudi Arabia
Headline: Saudi king warns against ‘foreign interference’ in Yemen as his troops continue attacks on Houthis
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. In October, more than 140 people were killed in a strike on a funeral in the country. A Saudi-led coalition, which is attempting to support the elected government against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, was blamed for the attack. White House National Security Council spokesman Ned Price later warned Saudi Arabia that US security co-operation was "not a blank cheque". Dec. 14, 2016
Headline: 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, state news agency MENA said. Sisi has launched a fierce crackdown on Islamists since as Egypt's then-military chief he overthrew the country's democratically elected president, Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood, in July 2013. He is battling a raging insurgency in Northern Sinai, led by Sinai Province, the Egyptian affiliate of ISIS. The militant group has killed hundreds of soldiers and police in regular attacks that have intensified since Sisi took power. After Habara's appeal was rejected by the Court of Cassation on Saturday, ISIS supporters issued warnings to Sisi online not to carry out the execution. "To the tyrant Sisi, if you dare to execute Sheikh Adel Habara then, by God, you will have ignited a volcano of jihad all over the country and opened the doors of hell on your soldiers and dogs and institutions," read a message on the Lone Wolves account run by ISIS supporters on Telegram. Dec. 15, 2016
Headline: Around The World And Online, Protests For Aleppo
Headline: Around 50,000 to be evacuated from Aleppo over 2-3 days
Headline: Hezbollah hails Syrian govt victory in Aleppo
As the people of Aleppo appealed for the world to take action against the advancing government troops, one of the greatest refrains was a call to fellow Muslims for help. A Shiite army was advancing, and Sunnis watching the impending fall saw the battle as yet another conflagration of Sunni-Shiite divisions. But rather than lay blame at the feet of their own Sunni leaders, Arabs protesting Wednesday over the fall of Aleppo directed their anger at Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who belongs to a Shiite strand of Islam and is supported by largely Shiite powers, including Iran, Lebanese and Iraqi Hezbollah, along with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In Kuwait, Arabs held banners denouncing Assad and Russia, and in Turkey, activists held a massive rally in front of the Russian embassy in Ankara. Turkish Islamist groups launched a campaign named “Open Road to Aleppo,” inviting supporters to march from Istanbul to the border Turkey shares with Syria, and then on to Aleppo to help trapped residents. There were calls Wednesday by the Syrian opposition for supporters across the world to launch protests this Friday in their countries, to pressure their leaders to intervene on Aleppo. “Take to the streets with angry demonstrations, press your governments and protest in front the embassies of Russia and Iran,” the page said. “Russia is committing a genocide against the people of Aleppo and Assad’s gangs commit massacres and executions every day.” Dec. 14, 2016
Headline: Top US official reports ISIS may have air defenses in Syria town
Headline: ISIS militants launch another powerful attack on the strategic airbase in Homs province
ISIS militants got control of military equipment and weapons, possibly including air defense equipment, when they recaptured the Syrian town of Palmyra (Homs Province), the top US general leading the fight against IS told reporters on Wednesday. Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend said Russian forces and the Syrian government took their eye off the ball and lost Palmyra and will likely try to take it back again. But if they don't, he said, the US-led coalition will take action, particularly if insurgents start moving weapons out of the city. "Anything they seize poses a threat to the coalition, but we can manage those threats and we will," Townsend said, adding that ISIS likely has some armored vehicles, various guns and other heavy weapons there. Townsend said he anticipates that the coalition will have opportunities soon to strike the equipment and kill the militants operating it. "We will strike it if we see it moving away from Palmyra," he said. "I think ... as long as it stays in Palmyra, the Russians will have the lead and the regime will have the lead to deal with that." Dec. 15, 2016
Headline: ‘Worse Than A Nuke’: Hottest Warzone In Iraq Might Get A Bibilical Bath
Iraq’s Mosul dam is showing signs of collapse, threatening to engulf the entire city and displace millions of people. Iraqi and Italian engineers are working round the clock to complete major renovations over the next 18 months. If the dam bursts, it threatens to unleash an entire manmade lake onto Iraq’s second largest city, threatening the livelihoods of millions of Iraqis. “It is just a matter of time. It will be worse than throwing a nuclear bomb on Iraq,” Mosul damn expert Nadhir al-Ansari told Al-Jazeera. Ansari elaborated that the ground supporting the foundation of the dam is rife with sinkholes and inherently unstable. Iraqi environmental expert Azzam al-Wash echoed Ansari’s concern saying “this is akin to putting a Band-Aid on a gunshot wound and pretending that everything is going to be all right.” Dec. 13, 2016
Headline: ISIS infiltrates Mosul, calls for capture of women
ISIS infiltrated the liberated neighborhoods of al Noor, al Ilam, and al Taameen in Mosul on Wednesday evening, taking advantage of the cloudy weather conditions that led to the ease of air-strikes that target them, reported Al Arabiya’s correspondent in Iraq. This pushed the Counter-Terrorism forces to send more back-up to the neighborhoods to repel the counter-attacks in which ISIS used car bombs and mortars. The correspondent reported that ISIS called on their supporters to kill the men and capture the women in the liberated neighborhoods, prompting residents to flee to more secure areas such as Kokajala neighborhood. In contrast, Abdulwahab al-Saadi, head of the Counter-Terrorism forces called on the civilians to stay in their homes and not flee, stressing that things are under control Dec. 15, 2016
Turkey’s government has all but silenced independent media in an effort to prevent scrutiny or criticism of its ruthless crackdown on perceived enemies, Human Rights Watch said today. The assault on critical journalism sharpened in 2014 but accelerated after the failed coup attempt in July 2016, denying Turkey’s population access to a regular flow of independent information from domestic newspapers, radio, and television stations about developments in the country. The 69-page report, “Silencing Turkey’s Media: The Government’s Deepening Assault on Critical Media,” documents five important components of the crackdown on independent domestic media in Turkey, including the use of the criminal justice system to prosecute and jail journalists on bogus charges of terrorism, insulting public officials, or crimes against the state. Human Rights Watch also documented threats and physical attacks on journalists and media organizations; government interference with editorial independence and pressure on media organizations to fire critical journalists; the government’s takeover or closure of private media companies; and restrictions on access to the airwaves, fines, and closure of critical television stations. Dec. 15, 2016
Headline: Iran sanctions extension act to become law without Obama's signature: White House
Headline: Russia says loss of Iran nuclear deal would be unforgivable
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, the White House said on Thursday. The announcement represents an apparent reversal by the administration, after it said previously Obama would likely sign the act passed by Congress last month extending some sanctions on Tehran and also making it easier to reimpose others lifted under the 2015 nuclear pact. "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). Consistent with this longstanding position, the extension of the Iran Sanctions Act is becoming law without the President's signature," a White House statement said. Dec. 15, 2016
Headline: Afghanistan Continues to Fume over Russia’s Outreach to Taliban
Officials and lawmakers in Afghanistan continue to question and denounce Russia’s recent disclosure that it maintains “limited political” contacts with the Taliban. The ongoing session of the Afghan parliament has witnessed a heated debate on the issue, with some lawmakers condemning Russia’s outreach to the Islamist insurgency as “shameful” while others accusing Moscow of providing modern warfare to Taliban fighters. Lawmakers also criticized neighboring Iran for backing the Taliban. On Wednesday, the legislative lower house, or Wolasi Jirga, passed a resolution, urging President Ashraf Ghani’s national unity government not to allow neighboring and regional countries to interfere in internal Afghan matters “on the pretext of supporting the Taliban to fight Islamic State.” Russian ambassador to Kabul, Alexander Mantytskiy, revealed last week his government maintains ties with the insurgent group but they are not “intensive.” Dec. 14, 2016
Headline: Ethiopian troop withdrawal from Somalia exposes peacekeeping problems
Headline: Turkey restores Ottoman-era building in Ethiopia
The Ethiopian troops had been assisting the internationally funded African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). The draw-down could imperil Somalia’s chances of becoming a viable nation state. Many assumed this redeployment was aimed at bolstering Ethiopia’s security forces in order to tackle the country’s ongoing six-month state of emergency. But the reasons are more complicated, revealing problems with internationally-funded peacekeeping and with AMISOM’s efforts in battling al-Qaeda-linked militants in Somalia. Since the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) withdrew its forces, the Islamic insurgency of Al Shabaab has already retaken a number of towns across south and central Somalia. “AMISOM should be able to do its mission with its quota of 21,000 troops—but it’s not managing it,” said a foreign political adviser in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa who wished to remain anonymous. “AMISOM can’t do anything without those additional Ethiopian troops.” Dec. 15, 2016
Headline: Hatred spills beyond South Sudan along with refugees
Besides bags, blankets and tales of horror, some of the thousands of refugees fleeing South Sudan's civil war each day carry something else - the ethnic hatred the United Nations says is "fertile ground" for genocide. That hatred, fueled by continuing reports of ethnic-based killings inside the country, is turning refugee camps on its borders into tinder-boxes and threatening to destabilize the wider region. More than a million people have fled the world's youngest nation since fighting erupted in late 2013, the biggest cross-border exodus from any central African conflict since the 1994 Rwandan genocide. They are going in all directions, including Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan, but Uganda, directly south, has received the most - 600,000 refugees so far. Bidi Bidi, a parched 250 square km expanse of scrubland in northern Uganda, was only set up as a camp in August. It is already home to 260,000 South Sudanese, and authorities say that during November 2,700 more arrived every day. Earlier this month, the desperation and anger of its residents boiled over into confrontation as Dinka women from South Sudan's largest and dominant ethnic group were attacked as crowds of refugees waited to receive food. Dec. 15, 2016
The Algerian Foreign Ministry on Thursday described a U.S. warning against traveling to Algeria -- due to the alleged risk of a terrorist attack -- as a "distorted" claim that "does not reflect reality". On Tuesday, the U.S. State Department issued a statement warning U.S. nationals against traveling to remote areas of southern and eastern Algeria "due to the possible threat of terrorist attacks or kidnapping". The Algerian Foreign Ministry responded on Thursday with a statement of its own in which it asserted that the U.S. travel advisory did "not reflect the reality of Algeria’s security situation". "The security of Algeria is permanently stable thanks to the policy of national reconciliation advocated by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and the high price paid to eliminate terrorism," the statement read. The ministry went on to assert that the U.S. travel advisory would be detrimental to bilateral ties and bilateral cooperation against terrorism. Dec. 15, 2016
Headline: VIDEO 1000 Muslims block London streets chanting Allahu Akbar to demand Islamic caliphate
The street outside the empty embassy in Belgrave Square, London, was closed off as it filled with protestors and Islamic leaders chanting loudly and calling for America to be punished over Aleppo. The demonstration became an alternative to an official rally calling for an end to the bloodshed in Syria outside Downing Street. During the speeches which lasted almost an hour the crowd chanted Allahu Akbar 'God is the greatest' and cheered for those calling for a global caliphate. The crowd largely segregated into men and women with many of the women wearing Islamic clothing. According to website Breitbart one protester appeared to be waving a Taliban flag, while others were handed placards made by Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain, which calls for the reestablishment of a caliphate. It is unclear who organised the demonstration. Dec. 15, 2016
Headline: 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. Protests against the measure turned violent in the capital Brasilia and at least a dozen states in the country. The opposition says the measures will mainly hit areas such as health and education, which are already underfunded. Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets during the Senate session to protest against the austerity plan. After the vote, many demonstrations descended into violence. In Brasilia, masked protesters set fire to a bus and marched on the local offices of Globo TV, which they say is biased towards Mr Temer's government. But the marchers were blocked by riot police. Dec. 14, 2016
Headline: 2 Blasts Hit Mogadishu; 6 Soldiers Killed
A blast believed to be caused an improvised explosive device tore through a Somali Army checkpoint and nearby displaced persons camp Thursday, killing six government soldiers, according to officials. Abdifitah Omar Halane, Benadir regional administrative spokesman, told VOA that the blast occurred at Ex-control Afgoye, the entry checkpoint to the southwestern part of Mogadishu. Halane said at least 13 other people were injured in the blast, most of them women and children. In a separate incident, a suspected al-Shabab suicide bomber detonated an explosive-laden car near a Mogadishu restaurant, killing himself and wounding seven others, including one journalist. Halane said the attacker blew himself up at a checkpoint near the Village restaurant, a popular Western-style eatery frequented by local journalists, government officials, and visitors from the diaspora. The restaurant has been targeted in several previous attacks which killed journalists and government staff. The car explosion followed a high-speed chase between police and the suspected suicide attacker, according to Halane. Meanwhile, a suicide car bomber detonated an explosives-laden vehicle near a restaurant in the Somali capital Thursday, killing himself and injuring three others, a Somali police officer said. The attacker detonated the massive bomb after his car overturned during a high-speed chase by police near the presidential palace in Mogadishu. Only the bomber died in the blast in the heavily guarded area where there are key government institutions, said Capt. Mohamed Hussein. Dec. 15, 2016
Headline: Ukraine Update: November 9-December 13, 2016
The Ukrainian government implemented a series of reforms in the face of rising public dissatisfaction and protests. The slow pace of reform and perceived corruption of the Ukrainian government manifested in demonstrations of over 5,000 protesters in November. These movements enjoy the support of pro-Russia and populist parties that are making a concerted effort to capitalize on increasing public frustration in order to strengthen their movements and undermine the legitimacy of pro-western president Petro Poroshenko. Lack of unity and a clear direction from populist parties will likely prevent them from gaining meaningful traction among the Ukrainian electorate in the short term, however. Ukraine's reformist movement also continued to voice its dissatisfaction with the Poroshenko administration. Former governor of Odessa Oblast, Mikheil Sakaashvili, announced the creation of a new reformist political party, held protests and launched a fundraising effort. President Poroshenko attempted to quell dissatisfaction by enacting reforms doubling the minimum wage, restructuring the health care system to make insurance universally available and protecting depositors against bank fraud. President Poroshenko will likely seek high-profile public victories, particularly EU visa liberalization, in order to stabilize support for his government. Ukraine also continued to strengthen its military and political ties with the EU and NATO in its effort to distance itself from Russia and modernize its infrastructure and military. Ukraine and the EU signed a memorandum of understanding on a strategic energy partnership that enhances cooperation in efficiency and facilitates energy market integration in the future. The deal also makes progress towards a visa-free travel regime for Ukrainians visiting EU nations. Ukraine launched numerous domestically manufactured surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles near Crimea, forcing a strong Russian reaction. In an effort to avoid prompting Russian military action against their forces, Ukraine shifted the tests further inland, revealing its ability to utilize its military buildup in Crimea to alter Ukraine's use of its sovereign territory. Russia went so far as to assert that it would use its military assets in Crimea against another Black Sea power. Despite Russian pushback, the missile tests demonstrated the growing capabilities of Ukraine's military and domestic arms industry, which continues to improve and modernize from its post-Soviet state of disrepair.
Headline: Putin, Abe hold talks on Japan-Russia territorial dispute
The leaders of Russia and Japan held talks at a hot springs resort in western Japan on Thursday on a territorial dispute that has divided their countries for 70 years. For Russian President Vladimir Putin, the summit meeting in Nagato city marks his first official visit to a G-7 country since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe invited Putin even though the G-7 nations, including Japan, still have sanctions on Russia. The meetings will move to Tokyo on Friday. Abe hopes to make progress on the territorial dispute and bolster ties through joint economic projects. A major breakthrough is seen as unlikely. In brief remarks before the meeting, Abe told Putin that the hot spring waters of Nagato are famous for relieving fatigue. “I can guarantee you that the hot springs here would fully remove fatigue from our summit talks,” he said. Putin replied, “Better not to get too tired.” He also credited Abe’s efforts for “a certain movement in the development of Russian-Japanese ties.” James Brown, a Japan-Russia expert at Temple University’s Japan campus in Tokyo, said the meeting was “an extraordinary development. I think Prime Minister Abe is being really quite bold in announcing this new approach to relations with Russia, especially coming at such a difficult time in relations between Russia and the West.” | Dec. 15, 2016
Headline: Pellets Fired to Quell Protests Blind Hundreds of Kashmiris
Indian authorities call the shotgun shells filled with hundreds of small metal pellets a "non-lethal" weapon for crowd control, but that does not make them harmless. They've inflicted a permanent toll on hundreds of Kashmiris hit by them. The pellets have been in use here since 2010. Soldiers are trained to fire the shotguns below protesters' waists, causing immense pain but — in theory — no permanent injuries. But a police official acknowledged that the rules are "more or less not followed because of the intensity of stone-throwing protests. The officer spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with department policy. The latest wave of protests began in early July after Indian troops killed Burhan Wani, a young and charismatic militant commander. As government troops cracked down on angry street protests in the Kashmir valley, shotguns were their weapon of choice. Health officials say that in the past five months more than 6,000 people, mostly young men, have been injured by shotgun pellets, including hundreds blinded in one or both eyes. Police and hospital officials say the pellets have killed at least eight people, though a prominent local rights group, Jammu-Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society, says the death toll from the pellets is 18. Dec. 14, 2016
Headline: 3 soldiers killed, 17 wounded as Philippine troops clash with Abu Sayyaf
At least three soldiers have been killed and 17 wounded during heavy fighting between Philippine government troops with Abu Sayyaf militants in southern Philippines, an army spokesman has said. Maj. Filemon Tan of the Philippine military's western command said in a statement the fighting broke out around 10 a.m. Saturday local time in a remote village of Patikul, Sulu province as troops tracked the militants. Tan said the the gun battle raged for an hour and 45 minutes. "The (troops) continue to conduct pursuit operations and intensify the conduct of focused military operations to neutralize the Abu Sayyaf group in Sulu," Tan said. President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the military to hunt down Abu Sayyaf members, who are believed to be behind kidnappings for ransom in the area. The Philippine leader said he does not plan to forge a peace deal with the groups. Duterte has met with his counterparts from Indonesia and Malaysia to discuss a coordinated security plan to curb the activities of Abu Sayyaf in Sulu sea that borders the two Southeast Asian countries. "My order to army: destroy them, kill them," Duterte has said, adding that under his watch Abu Sayyaf members will never be granted amnesty. Dec. 15, 2016
Headline: 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. The Aviationist, an aviation blog, broke the story yesterday, citing military sources who claim that several maritime patrol aircraft—including brand-new U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon sub hunters—are scouring the sea for the Russian submarines. Sources believe the submarines are Oscar-class guided missile boats—submarines specifically designed to take out aircraft carriers. The "carrier killing" subs are of particular concern as they are reportedly operating within uncomfortable proximity to the American USS Eisenhower and the French Charles De Gaulle, both of which are nuclear-powered aircraft carriers stationed in the eastern Mediterranean to provide support to anti-Islamic State operations in Syria. Dec. 13, 2016
Headline: China installs weapons systems on artificial islands - U.S. think tank Headline: Satellite images confirm China has advanced weapons on all 7 artificial islands
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. The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) at the Center for Strategic and International Studies said its findings come despite statements by the Chinese leadership that Beijing has no intention to militarize the islands in the strategic trade route, where territory is claimed by several countries. AMTI said it had been tracking construction of hexagonal structures on Fiery Cross, Mischief and Subi reefs in the Spratly Islands since June and July. China has already built military length airstrips on these islands. "It now seems that these structures are an evolution of point-defense fortifications already constructed at China’s smaller facilities on Gaven, Hughes, Johnson, and Cuarteron reefs," it said citing images taken in November and made available to Reuters. "This model has gone through another evolution at (the) much-larger bases on Fiery Cross, Subi and Mischief reefs." Satellite images of Hughes and Gaven reefs showed what appeared to be anti-aircraft guns and what were likely to be close-in weapons systems (CIWS) to protect against cruise missile strikes, it said. Dec. 15, 2016
Headline: Pyongyang conducted sub-launched ballistic missile test: US military source
North Korea test-fired a ballistic missile from a submarine during the last couple of weeks, a US military source told a Japanese television network on Thursday. The reported test came during the same period in which China, in line with harsher economic sanctions imposed on Pyongyang by the UN Security Council, has not allowed North Korean ships to deliver coal to Chinese ports. Dec. 15, 2016
Headline: Dallas Police Resignations Soar As "Insolvent" Pension System Implodes
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. Interim Dallas Police Chief David Pughes told city council members Monday that 99 officers have left the department since October 1. City councilman Philip Kingston is among those who blame the situation on the cash-starved police and fire pension fund. “It’s concerning, but it’s not very surprising with the turmoil surrounding the pension system,” said Kingston. In a statement, Mayor Mike Rawlings said, “This is why we are working so hard to address our pension crisis.” The Dallas Police Association said in any given year, about 180 officers leave the department — either to retire or work at higher-paying departments. About half the number have left in a two and a half month period. Of course, not surprisingly, the majority of the resignations came from older, tenured officers who had the most to lose. “I think most of those 99 were tenured officers, so those are our most experienced officers, the majority investigative detectives who solve crimes everyday,” said Mata. Councilman Kingston acknowledges the department’s challenge. “I think Chief Pughes is going to have to be creative. There’s nothing we can do to fix that in the short term. He has the number of officers he has and he has got to get results using those officers.” Dec. 13, 2016
Headline: Venezuelans fight to protect their savings as government pulls bills from circulation
Headline: Some poor Venezuelan parents give away children amid deep crisis
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. On Tuesday morning thousands of people across Venezuela played hooky from work to line-up outside banks and deposit bundles of cash into their savings accounts after the government gave everyone a 72-hour countdown to turn in all their 100 bolivar notes before they’re removed from circulation. The 100 bolivar note, the highest denomination of Venezuelan currency, is currently worth about 3 cents on the U.S. dollar. But Venezuela’s government announced on Sunday that it is removing the bills from circulating because they’re being purchased in bulk by “international mafia groups” that are allegedly trying to “overthrow” the struggling socialist government by hoarding money abroad and starving Venezuela of cash. President Nicolas Maduro said that by making his country’s 100 bill illegal, he is “hitting back” against the mafia groups, who he claims have ties to the U.S. State Department, although he’s never offered any solid proof to back his claims. Dec. 13, 2016
Headline: Asian shares extend losses after Fed rate hike, dollar eases
Shares fell in Asia early Thursday after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates overnight. The quarter percentage point rate increase, the second in a decade, was widely expected although investors were surprised to see the Fed project three more increases for 2017. KEEPING SCORE: Japan's Nikkei 225 index gave up early gains to fall 0.2 percent to 19,225.24 after the release of upbeat manufacturing data. Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 1.7 percent to 22,074.16 and Australia's S&P ASX 200 dropped 1.1 percent to 5,5,26. 30. South Korea's Kospi lost 0.4 percent to 2,030.80 and the Shanghai Composite index fell 0.3 percent to 3,131.67. FED'S MOVE: The hike took the Fed's key short-term rate to a range of 0.50 percent to 0.75 percent. Investors reacted to the Fed's announcement Wednesday by selling stocks that would be most hurt by higher interest rates, which raise the cost of borrowing and can slow corporate profits and economic growth. The Fed also raised its forecast for rate hikes in 2017 to three from two. WALL STREET BLUES: Stocks had their worst day in two months after the Fed's announcement, and four stocks fell for every one that rose on the New York Stock Exchange. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 18.44 points, or 0.8 percent, to 2,253.28, its biggest percentage loss since mid-October. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 118.68 points, or 0.6 percent, to 19,792.53. The Nasdaq composite fell 27.16, or 0.5 percent, to 5,436.67. Dec. 14, 2016
Headline: 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. The series of attacks on Christian imagery was brought to light in a report by a division of the state broadcaster WDR. Their news show, Lokalzeit Münsterland, reported the crime wave on their 8 December edition, and also on social media. Dec. 15, 2016
Headline: THE REAL LIFE HUNGER GAMES: Sick rules for bonkers new Russian reality TV show allow contestants to ‘fight, rape and MURDER each other’ A BRUTAL Russian reality show allowing “fighting, murder and rape” will see contestants armed with knives and dumped in the Siberian wilderness to battle bears, wolves and freezing temperatures. The Hunger Games-style contest will see 30 participants – half of them women – ditched in the wild for a nine-month survival test in temperatures sinking to minus 40C or lower. Contestants from different countries seeking a £1.3 million prize will be issued with knives but not guns and expected to hunt and fish for food to stay alive. The shocking rules say: “Everything is allowed. Fighting, alcohol, murder, rape, smoking, anything.” Russian millionaire Yevgeny Pyatkovsky, 35, is the brains behind the extreme contest – but says the show won’t take responsibility for what happens to the contestants. He said: “We will refuse any claim of participants even if they were to be killed or raped. “We will have nothing to do with this. This will be spelt out in a document to be signed by the participant before the start of the show.” But while the show’s own rules are that absolutely anything goes, Russian criminal laws will still apply if contestants do end up turning savage. Contestants are told if there is proof of criminality “the police will come and take you away”. ***Please contact ETRM via email if any viewer finds this story is untrue
Headline: 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 approval 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. It is controversial because it would result in babies born with the DNA of three people - and effectively, two mothers. Dec. 15, 2016
Headline: 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). The previous record of 60 feet (18 meters) was also measured in the North Atlantic in December 2007. Four times the size of a double-decker bus, the WMO said the huge swell followed the passage of a "very strong cold front" which produced powerful winds of up to 50 mph (80 kph). The organization said the delay in confirming the new record was due to the time it took to analyze, cross-check and verify the data. "This is the first time we have ever measured a wave of 19 meters. It is a remarkable record," said Wenjian Zhang, WMO Assistant Secretary-General, in a statement. Dec. 14, 2016
Headline: NASA scientist warns of 'extinction-level' asteroid strike
A NASA scientist is warning that Earth is due for an “extinction-level” event like a comet or asteroid strike - and he claims there won’t be anything we can do to stop it, according to a New York Post report on the matter. Joseph Nuth, an award-winning scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, was speaking at the annual American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco. Nuth maintained that policymakers should start preparing for such a cataclysm, despite the extremely long odds of it happening. “But on the other hand, they are the extinction-level events, things like dinosaur killers, they’re 50 to 60 million years apart, essentially,” Nuth said. “You could say, of course, we’re due, but it’s a random course at that point.” Nuth claims that humanity isn’t close to being prepared for such a threat, stating that "there’s not a hell of a lot we can do about it at the moment." Dec. 15, 2016
All earthquakes are instantly posted to the ETRM Facebook page- you do not need to sign up; click the photo below to see the earthquake album ***beginning November 29, 2016, earthquakes of a 5.0 magnitude and higher will be posted
~click the photo to see ALL the maps of the large earthquakes for the current year~
Headline: What’s shaking? List & map of USGS Earthquakes~Click the shaking house~
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~Please be sure to CLICK on the photos for all Bible verses pertaining to each news story~
Headline: UN Voting on Motion to ‘Blacklist’ Companies with Ties to Israel
The United Nations (UN) is set to vote next week on a motion to fund a “blacklist” of Israeli and international companies operating in Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, Judea and Samaria – areas several countries deem “occupied” by Israel. The vote, scheduled to take place in the Fifth Committee, which oversees the UN’s budget and administration, will authorize funding for the UN’s Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to compile the list. When announcing the intention to create the list last March, the UNHRC explained that they expected to update it annually. The plan to create the list, which is expected to be used by the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement and other anti-Israel organizations, caused an international uproar when it was announced last spring. Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon announced that the Israeli Mission will publicly oppose the list and that he created a task force to propose new ideas to combat the initiative. Dec. 11, 2016
Headline: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. Former Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon told a conference in late 2014 that the IDF destroyed 80% of Hamas’s mortars and rockets during Operation Protective Edge, however the group has been restocking ever since, in addition to digging new tunnels under the border with Israel. While there has always been a large difference in military capabilities between Israel and Hamas, highlighted once again by Israel receiving the first F-35 jets outside the US on Monday, any Arab states potentially interested in gearing up with the Palestinian group's weaponry for a battle with the IDF could expect to receive more than mortars and the ubiquitous Soviet-designed Katyusha, the WWII rocket still used in conflicts in the Middle East today. Dec. 12, 2016
Israel Police are opposed to the proposed "Muezzin Law," and say they prefer to deal with issues at a local level, since legislation may cause the Arab community to turn violent. Police are working to curb the large number of Arab crimes, and have hired more than 2,600 policemen for the purpose, and implemented programs which are expected to cost 2 billion NIS over the next five years. "From a police perspective, it would be a mistake to legislate or otherwise focus on the muezzin," said a police report. "The issue of the muezzin is an extremely sensitive one, and we have decided not to make it into one of the foremost things we do in the Arab sector, since there are nationalistic priorities, such as razing terrorists' homes." However, this does not help Israeli citizens who are woken up several times nightly by the blasts, which are not the norm in Arab countries. The police have received over 1,537 complaints about the muezzin recently, with 1,261 of them from residents of the Jerusalem neighborhoods Ramat Shlomo and Pisgat Ze'ev. There have also been many complaints from residents of Lod, Caesarea, Karmiel, Omer, Nazareth, and Migdal Haemek, as well as from residents of the Arab town of Jisr az-Zarqa. Dec. 12, 2016
Headline: State aiming for new delay in demolishing Amona
Headline: Soldiers protest Amona evacuation orders on Facebook
Headline: Netanyahu and Bennett to present new solution to Amona residents
The state is expected, possibly as early as Sunday, 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. The state will likely argue that time is needed to find a relocation site for the 40 families who live in the outpost, given that past proposals have fallen through or will not be ready in time. The latest plan could involve relocating the families to the nearby Ofra settlement. The Amona families have resisted all relocation plans and have insisted that the Knesset pass a law that recognizes their homes as legal. The High Court has ruled they were built without permits on privately owned Palestinian property. The Knesset on Wednesday passed the first reading of the settlement regulation bill, which if it becomes law would retroactively legalize some 4,000 settler homes on private Palestinian property, and would offer compensation to the landowners. Dec. 12, 2016
During a special government meeting, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit approved moving Amona's residents a few meters away, using the absentee property solution. It was reported earlier that the Attorney General's office was blocking the deal reached between Prime Minister Netanyahu and Minister Bennett for the "Regulation Package" agreement. The position of the Attorney General could have forced the complete evacuation of the hill. The agreement reached in Monday's meeting will prevent that scenario from occurring if the residents of Amona approve of the solution. Participating in the meeting were Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Jewish Home Ministers Ayelet Shaked and Naftali Bennett, and Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit. "The ball is in the residents' court," a government official said. The area allocated for the relocated town of Amona will be expanded to tens of dunams (acres), which will allow the town to grow over time. Details of the plan will be passed to the residents and only then aired on Israeli media. Dec. 12, 2016
Headline: Suicide bomber kills at least 50 Yemeni troops in Aden
A suicide bomber killed at least 50 Yemeni soldiers at a base in the city of Aden, a local security official said, in another major attack claimed by the Daesh terror group on forces allied to a Saudi-led military coalition. The attacker blew himself up as the troops were waiting to collect their salaries, the government sources added, wounding around 70 others as they lined up to collect salaries at the entrance to the Sawlaban base on the outskirts of the city. Daesh claimed responsibility for the attack in a message posted online. The Yemeni branch of the militant group based in Iraq and Syria has carried out many deadly bombings around troops in the southern port city, which is under the control of the internationally recognised government in exile in Saudi Arabia. Dec. 10, 2016
Headline: Syria conflict: US to send troops to help seize Raqqa from IS
The US is sending 200 more military personnel to help fight the Islamic State group in its Syrian stronghold of Raqqa, the US defence secretary says. Speaking at talks on Middle East security, Ash Carter said the troops would include special forces trainers, advisers and bomb disposal teams. They will join 300 US special forces who are already in Syria. Last month a US-backed coalition of Kurdish and Arab fighters said it had begun an operation to capture Raqqa. The Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) had been gaining ground in areas north of the so-called Islamic State's "capital" in Syria. Speaking on Saturday at a meeting in Bahrain, Mr Carter said the 200 additional troops would "continue organising, training, equipping, and otherwise enabling capable, motivated, local forces" to take the fight to IS. Dec. 10, 2016
Headline:Islamic State militants retake ancient city of Palmyra- Homs governate
Headline: Syrian Observatory reports suspected gas attack in Islamic State area near Palmyra
Headline: ISIS seizes important crossroad near Syrian Air Force base
Headline:US bombs oil tanker trucks as Islamic State battles Syrian regime near Palmyra
Islamic State militants recaptured the ancient city of Palmyra from Syrian troops Sunday, according to both sides in the battle, scoring a major advance after a year of setbacks in Syria and neighboring Iraq. In winning back Palmyra, the extremist group appeared to be taking advantage of the Syrian and Russian preoccupation with Aleppo, timing its attack to coincide with a major government offensive to capture the last remaining opposition-held neighborhoods in the northern city. Palmyra, with its towering 2,000-year-old ruins, holds mostly symbolic meaning in the wider civil war, although its location in central Syria also gives it some strategic significance. Islamic State militants re-entered the city Saturday for the first time since they were expelled by Syrian and Russian forces amid much fanfare nine months ago. The government's first important win against the Islamic State group in the historic city gave Damascus the chance to try to position itself as part of the global anti-terrorism campaign. Dec. 12, 2016
Headline: Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: Battle for Aleppo reached its end
Headline: Turkey urges Syrians to leave ISIS-held town al-Bab
The battle for Aleppo has reached its end, the director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abdulrahman, said on Monday after sweeping army advances into the rebel sector. Rebels had now withdrawn from six neighbourhoods in the city, their last holdouts in Aleppo, he added. Meanwhile, Turkish media reported on Monday that the air force is pounding Islamic State targets in northern Syria and has dropped leaflets calling on residents to leave a militant stronghold there. The private Dogan news agency said the armed forces had dropped leaflets on al-Bab, the next target of a campaign by Turkish-backed Syrian opposition forces. The leaflets urge civilians to flee to secure areas, saying "God willing, victory is near." They urge residents to "not let the Daesh terror, which serves the devil, exploit you," referring to ISIS by an Arabic acronym. Dec. 12, 2016
Headline: Iraq: Suicide attacks in Fallujah (Al Anbar) kill at least 2 people
An Iraqi spokesman says two suicide car bombings targeting security checkpoints in the city of Fallujah have killed at least two people. Interior Ministry spokesman Brig. Gen Saad Maan says that Sunday's attacks killed a civilian and a policeman, and wounded seven. A local police and a medical official put the casualty toll at three killed and 11 wounded. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks in a statement. The authenticity of the claim couldn't be confirmed but it was posted on a militant website commonly used by the extremists. Dec. 12, 2016
Headline: Iraqi forces regain control of 31 Mosul districts
Iraq’s joint operations command said on Saturday that counter-terrorism forces regained control of 31 neighborhoods on the left coast of the city of Mosul. They continue to advance in three other neighborhoods after inflicting heavy losses on ISIS during recent battles. The joint operations’ command also said that their forces are less than two kilometers away from Mosul’s bridges, adding that the coalition’s air force continues to destroy ISIS gatherings in east Mosul. Two days ago, Abdul Ghani al-Assadi, commander of the counter-terrorism apparatus, said the first phase of military operations in the battle to restore Mosul ended after 50 days of launching it. He added that his forces will completely control the left coast of Mosul after seizing the last few neighborhoods. Meanwhile, security sources said counter-terrorism forces raided al-Taameem neighborhood and are fighting fierce battles to expel ISIS members from it. Dec. 12, 2016
Headline: Turkey bombs Kurdish targets in Iraq after weekend attacks
Turkish fighter planes attacked 12 Kurdish targets in Iraq as the death count in weekend bombings in Istanbul rose to 44, government officials said. The Turkish armed forces said Monday a 50-minute airstrike operation in northern Iraq's Zap region attacked and destroyed a command center, gun emplacements and other targets of the Kurdistan Workers Party, known as the PKK. The organization, considered by Turkey as a terrorist group, seeks self-determination for Kurds in Turkey and Iraq. An offshoot of the group, the Kurdistan Freedom Hawks, claimed responsibility for Saturday's bombings at a soccer stadium and a nearby public park in Istanbul. The attacks came after a heavily attended soccer match, and those killed at the stadium in a car bomb explosion included 36 police officers and eight civilians. A nearly simultaneous explosion killed the suicide bomber in nearby Macka Park. At least 155 people were injured in the two bombings, Turkish Health Minister Recep Akdag said. Dec. 12, 2016
Headline: ‘One-man rule’: Turkey moves closer to expanding Erdogan’s powers
Following a coup attempt in July that some analysts said appeared to have been “orchestrated,” Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has submitted constitutional changes to parliament that would significantly expand the powers of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The AKP’s proposal received 316 supporting signatures from the 550-seat assembly. If cleared by a constitutional committee and approved by parliament, the reforms would pave the way for a referendum on granting Erdogan full executive powers and, critics say, allow him to rule unchecked. “This is a regime change, plain and simple: one-man rule,” lawmaker Seyit Torun of the Republican People’s Party was quoted as saying. The constitutional changes pushed by the AKP would allow the president to appoint the government, retain ties with his party, propose budgets and declare states of emergency. The amendments were proposed by the AKP with agreement from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). Dec. 11, 2016
Headline: Istanbul Besiktas Turkey: Stadium blasts kill 38 people
Headline: Kurdish militant group TAK claims deadly Istanbul bombings
Headline: Turkish police detain dozens of pro-Kurdish party officials: media
A twin bomb attack on police officers outside a football stadium in Turkey's largest city, Istanbul, has killed 38 people and injured many more. A car bomb hit a police vehicle and a suicide bomber detonated a suicide vest in quick succession late on Saturday. The blasts occurred near the stadium of top-division team Besiktas, two hours after a match. Ten arrests were made. The government says initial findings point towards Kurdish militants, who have targeted police in the past. Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus told CNN Turk news channel that "arrows point" to the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK). Thirty of those killed in the attack were police officers, officials say. A further 155 people were being treated in hospital, 14 of them in intensive care, health officials say. Dec. 12, 2016
Headline: Netanyahu hopes to work with Trump to undo Iran nuclear deal
Headline:Iran: If Trump sparked ME war, Israel would be destroyed
Headline: Iran Opens Theme Park Where Children Pretend To Attack Israel And Western Enemies
President-elect Donald Trump will be a good friend to Israel and hopefully the two countries can work together to dismantle the international nuclear agreement with Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview Sunday. While the two countries are close allies, relations were sometimes tense between Netanyahu and President Barack Obama because of their vastly different world views on the Iran deal and other issues. There is sentiment in the nationalist Israeli right wing that Trump's election could usher in a new era of relations with the United States. "I know Donald Trump," Netanyahu told CBS's "60 Minutes" in an interview that will air later Sunday night. "And I think his attitude, his support for Israel is clear. He feels very warmly about the Jewish state, about the Jewish people. There's no question about that," Netanyahu said. His remarks were significant because critics have accused Trump of tolerating anti-Semitism among some of his supporters. Meanwhile, Iran’s defense minister Hossein Deghan Sunday warned that if US President-elect Donald Trump’s policies led to a Middle East war, it would result in the destruction of the “Zionist regime,” engulf the whole region and lead to a world war. Dec. 12, 2016
Headline: Sudan's Bashir vows to crush opposition protests
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir vowed Monday to brutally crush anti-regime protests, warning the authorities will crack down on demonstrators as they did in 2013 when dozens were killed during clashes. Bashir's warning came as opposition activists issued a new call to hold a two-day nationwide strike next week against a government decision to cut fuel subsidies that has led to rising prices for goods including medicines. "In the past few days we have heard some people, who are hiding behind their keyboards, calling for the overthrow of the regime," Bashir told supporters gathered in the eastern town of Kasala. "We want to tell them that if you want to overthrow the regime, then face us directly on the streets. I challenge you to come out onto the streets. "But we know you will not come because you know what happened in the past... This regime will not be overthrown by keyboards and WhatsApp," Bashir said in a speech broadcast live on state television. Dec. 12, 2016
Headline: Standing Rock protesters plan next fights after victory over Dakota Access pipeline
In the days after native protesters and activist allies convinced the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to deny a permit for the Dakota Access pipeline to cross through Sioux land, the thousands of protesters assembled at Standing Rock Indian Reservation have endured harsh winter conditions. But many of the demonstrators gathered at Standing Rock protests are planning on taking the fight elsewhere, according to the Guardian, even though many believe the pipeline project will eventually be reinstated by Republican President-elect Donald Trump's administration. One organizer, Honor the Earth national campaigns director Tara Houska, left the encampment to drive to Minnesota to testify against Enbridge's Line 3, a proposed pipeline which would cross northern Minnesota. Houska told the paper the project, which would cut through Anishinaabe hunting and fishing grounds, "threaten[s] the survival of our most important cultural identifier." Other destinations for some of the protesters included the site of a proposed telescope in Hawaii, demonstrations in Wyoming against killings of the Yellowstone Buffalo and the Sabal Trail pipeline in Florida, according to the Guardian. Dec. 11, 2016
Headline: 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. No group has said it carried out the attack, but the Somali Islamist group al-Shabab often carries out such bombings in the capital. "We assisted 48 wounded people and carried 16 others who were killed in the blast," said Abdikadir Abdirahman Adem, head Mogadishu's Amin ambulance service. The death toll is expected to rise further. Dec. 11, 2016
Headline: 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. No group has said it was behind the bombings but Boko Haram militants have carried out similar attacks. A member of a militia in Maiduguri, Abdulkarim Jabo, told media the girls were aged about seven or eight and had arrived at the market in a rickshaw. "They got out of a rickshaw and walked right in front of me without showing the slightest sign of emotion," he said. "I tried to speak with one of them, in Hausa and in English, but [they] didn't answer. I thought they were looking for their mother." He said the first girl had headed towards a market stall and then detonated her belt of explosives. Militants have carried out a string of deadly attacks in north-east Nigeria in recent weeks. On Friday, a double suicide attack carried out by female bombers killed at least 45 people and wounded 33 at a marketplace in the town of Madagali. Dec. 12, 2016
Headline: Kenyan Police Use Tear Gas to Disperse Rally Against Graft
Kenyan police have fired tear gas to disperse a protest march against government corruption. The march was part of a protest movement by activists who want Kenya's government to do more to stem what they charge is rampant graft within the administration. Police arrested at least three protesters Monday in the capital, Nairobi, when they broke up the demonstration. The group later reunited at another location and resumed the march. The protest march coincided with celebrations marking 53 years since Kenya became independent. Dec. 12, 2016
Headline: 3 soldiers killed, 17 wounded as Philippine troops clash with Abu Sayyaf
At least three soldiers have been killed and 17 wounded during heavy fighting between Philippine government troops with Abu Sayyaf militants in southern Philippines, an army spokesman has said. Maj. Filemon Tan of the Philippine military's western command said in a statement the fighting broke out around 10 a.m. Saturday local time in a remote village of Patikul, Sulu province as troops tracked the militants. Tan said the the gun battle raged for an hour and 45 minutes. "The (troops) continue to conduct pursuit operations and intensify the conduct of focused military operations to neutralize the Abu Sayyaf group in Sulu," Tan said. President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the military to hunt down Abu Sayyaf members, who are believed to be behind kidnappings for ransom in the area. The Philippine leader said he does not plan to forge a peace deal with the groups. Duterte has met with his counterparts from Indonesia and Malaysia to discuss a coordinated security plan to curb the activities of Abu Sayyaf in Sulu sea that borders the two Southeast Asian countries. Dec. 11, 2016
Headline: 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. In 2008, Kevin Curtis Wills, a 9-year-old boy with autism, jumped into a river near a park and drowned. In 2014, a 14-year-old boy with autism, Avonte Oquendo, left his school and drowned in a river. Rep. Chris Smith (R., N.J.), who chairs the Congressional Autism Caucus and the Alzheimer’s Disease Task Force, introduced a bill called Kevin and Avonte’s Law, otherwise known as H.R. 4919, in an attempt to prevent these types of accidents from happening. The legislation would permit the Justice Department to award grants to law enforcement agencies and non-profits for training and tracking devices to find individuals with autism or seniors with Alzheimer’s who have wandered away. “We all empathize with a parent who learns that their child is missing, including and especially when that child has autism or another developmental disability,” Smith said. “When children with a disability or seniors with Alzheimer’s do wander, time and training are essential to ensure their safe return.” The bill would reauthorize the Missing Alzheimer’s Disease Patient Alert Program for five years and annually fund it for $2 million. The program would be expanded to include children with autism and renamed as the Missing Americans Alert Program. Dec. 11, 2016
Headline: 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. If successful, the case could see Parliament able to reverse Article 50 if Theresa May's government couldn't secure a deal to their satisfaction — raising the possibility of halting Brexit entirely. The case is being led by Jolyon Maugham, a tax barrister, and it launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds on Friday. By Sunday it has reached its £70,000 target, with donations from almost 2,000 people. "If a notification under Article 50 can be revoked, voters will get to see whether what they were told was true or false. And if it proves false, and damaging to their economic security, it will be open to them to choose to change their minds," a message on its fundraising page said. "And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that." Dec. 12, 2016
Headline: New priests to learn about global warming as part of formation
The Catholic Church is intimately concerned about climate change. The Vatican's Pontifical Academy of Sciences is the world's oldest, longest running scientific mission. That body, which advises the pope on matters of science, has concluded that global climate change is real and is caused, at least in significant part, by human activity. This is important to the Church because creation care is part of our mission. We are called to be stewards of creation. It's also important because climate change can exacerbate the ills of poverty. Poor people in much of the world are the most vulnerable to changes. The Church has a responsibility to care for people, and the environment. And care for one is also care for the other. Now updated guidelines for the formation of clergy says new priests should understand this as well: "Protecting the environment and caring for our common home -- the Earth, belong fully to the Christian outlook on man and reality. Priests should be "promoters of an appropriate care for everything connected to the protection of creation." The new guidelines suggest that in the future, priests will also have a good grasp of the global climate change problem and will share this with their congregation. Dec. 10, 2016
Headline: Bomb explodes in Egypt by Cairo's biggest Coptic Cathedral killing 25 and ISIS CELEBRATES
Headline: 4 Arrested in Deadly Cairo Church Bombing
At least 25 people have died and 49 more are injured in the blast, with the number expected to rise, according to Egyptian state television. Many of the victims are women and children who were worshipping in the smaller St Peter and St Paul Coptic Orthodox Church attached to the cathedral. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Exiled Brotherhood officials and home-grown militant groups condemned the attack. Islamic State (ISIS) supporters celebrated on social media. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi branded the bombing a terror attack. Security sources said at least six children are among the dead as a protest broke out in front of the cathedral. The blast at St Mark's Orthodox Cathedral in the Abbassiya area of Cairo took place during Sunday morning prayers near the section designed for female churchgoers. Dec. 11, 2016
Headline: "How could telling anyone about Jesus be harmful?" Christian nurse sacked for 'offering to pray' with NHS patients
A Christian nurse sacked for 'offering to pray with patients' before they underwent NHS operations says she now faces poverty and homelessness as a result of losing her job. Sister Sarah Kuteh - a nurse with 15 years experience, mostly in intensive care - lost her job for discussing religion with patients who complained to Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust. Last November she switched to work in pre-op assessment but this August she was dismissed for breaching guidelines - despite her job requiring her to ask people preparing for surgery about their religion. Last night a video putting across Mrs Kuteh's point of view was posted on the Facebook page of Christian Concern - an organisation which campaigns for people to be allowed to talk about Jesus Christ in their public life. The mum-of-three - who is suing for unfair dismissal - asked: "How could telling anyone about Jesus Christ really be harmful to any patient?" Dec. 11, 2016
Headline: Cyclone Vardah threatens to bring flooding, damaging wind to Chennai
Headline: Cyclone Vardah: Two dead as storm lashes south India coast
Cyclone Vardah will weaken before reaching Andhra Pradesh, India, to start the new week, but will still bring damaging wind and heavy rainfall to the region. Despite the threat for damage, moisture from the cyclone will bring needed rainfall, cutting into the region's rainfall deficit. Vardah intensifed into a very severe cyclonic storm over the Bay of Bengal this weekend. Rain, wind and seas will increase around Vardah’s center, creating dangerous conditions for shipping interests. As quickly as Vardah strengthened, it will weaken prior to reaching southern India on Monday evening, local time. Vardah should be a cyclonic storm when it makes landfall very near Chennai. Dec. 12, 2016
This year, the full moons of October, November and December all take place when the moon is at its closest point of approach in its orbit around Earth — a so-called supermoon. The third and final installment of this supermoon trifecta will be on Tuesday, Dec. 13. The moon will reach peak fullness at 7:05 p.m. EST (0005 GMT on Dec. 14), but it will appear full to the casual observer the night before and after the main event. The supermoon of December 14 is remarkable for a different reason: it’s going to wipe out the view of the Geminid meteor shower. Bright moonlight will reduce the visibility of faint meteors five to ten fold, transforming the usually fantastic Geminids into an astronomical footnote. Sky watchers will be lucky to see a dozen Geminids per hour when the shower peaks. Dec. 12, 2016
All earthquakes are instantly posted to the ETRM Facebook page- you do not need to sign up; click the photo below to see the earthquake album ***beginning November 29, 2016, earthquakes of a 5.0 magnitude and higher will be posted
~click the photo to see ALL the maps of the large earthquakes for the current year~
Headline: What’s shaking? List & map of USGS Earthquakes~Click the shaking house~
Bible prophecy documentary book download proving our generation will see the return of the Lord. Do you want to know what is going to happen in the future before it actually takes place? The Word of God provides you with specific details about our future and all of these things are coming to pass in this generation. If you aren’t saved yet this is a must read!
~Please be sure to CLICK on the photos for all Bible verses pertaining to each news story~
Headline: Netanyahu rejects French president’s offer to talk with Abbas in Paris
“Israel will not take part in the international conference, which won’t contribute to bringing peace,” read a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office. Netanyahu reiterated to Hollande his preference for direct talks with Abbas outside of an international summit. “Netanyahu told Hollande if there were not an international conference in Paris, the prime minister would meet with Abbas for direct talks without preconditions,” the statement continued. Meanwhile, according to an earlier report in WAFA, the Palestinian News & Info Agency, the Palestinian Authority (PA) has yet to receive an official invitation to participate in the international summit in Paris on December 21. However, the PA continues to support France’s efforts in implementing a final agreement between Israel and the PA and reportedly had accepted Hollande’s invitation for tripartate talks on the sidelines of the international conference. Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected the French initiative, saying that such moves allow the Palestinians to avoid direct negotiations and impose preconditions on Israel. Dec. 7, 2016
In an interview to the Syrian Arabic daily newspaper Al-Watan, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said that Israel is his country’s only enemy state. “Israel alone remains our enemy state,” Assad said. “He who conquers our land is an enemy state, not just a country whose leaders employ hostile policies.” The Syrian president was referring to the “hostile policies” of Persian Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar, who have provided aid and support to rebel factions fighting in Syria’s civil war. “The story is the same with the Gulf States – Saudi Arabia and Qatar – which have taken very hostile positions and have historically been one of the reasons for Israel’s continued existence and superiority in the region,” Assad continued. Despite the “hostile positions” taken by Saudi Arabia and Qatar against the current regime in Damascus, Assad specifically directed his criticism at the leaders of those countries, not the countries themselves. “This does not make the people of Saudi Arabia or Qatar or any other country an enemy people,” the Syrian president stressed. “Officials in these countries may have put themselves in the ‘enemies box,’ but not the state or the people.” “Israel occupies Syrian territory, so the issue is different,” added Assad. Dec. 8, 2016
Headline: UN to fund 'blacklist' of Israeli companies
The United Nations is set to vote next week to fund a "blacklist" of Israeli and international companies operating in Jerusalem, the Golan Heights and in Judea and Samaria. The vote, which will take place in the Fifth Committee which oversees the UN's budget and administration, will authorize funding for the UN's Human Rights Council to compile the list. The intent to create the list, which is expected to be utilized by Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) activists for anti-Israel activities, caused an international uproar when it was announced last March. Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, announced on Friday that the Israeli Mission will publicly oppose the list and that he created a task-force to propose new ideas to combat the initiative. Danon also stated his commitment to bring together international partners and pro-Israel organizations to oppose the list. Dec. 9, 2016
Headline: MK Bennett: Amona Bill Paves Way for Annexation of Judea and Samaria
Headline: Palestinian tries to stab Israeli police, shot dead: Israel
Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett, leader of the Jewish Home party, hailed the preliminary passage of a controversial bill to legalize Israeli settlement outposts as paving the way for Israel’s eventual annexation of Judea and Samaria. The legislation passed its first legislative test Monday, passing a preliminary Knesset reading in a 60-49 vote. The bill still faces three more readings before it can become law. The measure has been staunchly opposed by many in Israel, including Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, who has said that the bill violates international law. The measure has been also opposed by the U.S., the European Union, and the United Nations. Israeli opposition leader MK Isaac Herzog called the preliminary passage a “dark day for the Knesset.” But Bennett said, “Today, the Israeli Knesset moved from heading toward establishing a Palestinian state to heading toward sovereignty in Judea and Samaria, and to remove any doubt about it—the outpost regulation bill is the tip of the iceberg in applying sovereignty.” Dec. 8, 2016
Headline: UN official: Regulation Law violates international law
The UN human rights chief on Thursday slammed the “Regulation Law”, which passed its first reading in the Knesset on Wednesday, saying it would clearly violate international law. "I strongly urge lawmakers to reconsider their support for this bill, which if enacted, would have far-reaching consequences and would seriously damage the reputation of Israel around the world," said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, according to AFP. "In enabling the use of land privately-owned by Palestinians for Israeli settlements without the owners' consent, this legislation would violate international law,” he added. "Israel as the occupying power, must respect the private property of Palestinians, regardless of whether or not compensation is provided," said Al Hussein. "All Israeli settlements -- whether outposts built without formal approval but often with the support of the Israeli authorities and which are currently illegal under Israeli law, or settlements approved by Israel -- are clearly and unequivocally illegal under international law and constitute one of the main obstacles to peace," he charged. "They are also the principal cause of a wide range of human rights violations inside the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem." Dec. 8, 2016
Headline: Lebanon cannot disassociate itself, Al Assad warns
Syrian President Bashar Al Assad has lashed out at Lebanon over its disassociation policy approved in 2012, which ensured that Lebanon’s political factions did not take sides in Syria’s civil war. The policy miraculously managed to save Lebanon from being dragged into the brutal war next door, despite the fact that Hezbollah ignored the policy as it openly fought alongside Al Assad forces in Syria. In an interview with the Damascus daily Al Watan, the Syrian president said, “Lebanon cannot be dissociated from the fires flaring up [in the region] and [cannot] adopt the policy of no politics or what is called the disassociation policy.” Observers believe it was a direct warning to recently elected president Michel Aoun not to forget that he has to answer to Damascus. “As long as the [president] is a patriot and works in favour of the Lebanese, Lebanon will become stronger. And when Lebanon is strong, Syria will be at ease and stronger,” Al Assad said. Aoun is an ally of Syria and previously declared his support for “the war on terror”, which was an implicit vote of confidence for Damascus and its ongoing confrontations against revolutionary elements fighting to topple the Al Assad government. Dec. 9, 2016
Headline: Saudi Arabia Cuts Oil Deliveries To U.S.
Saudi Arabia has informed its clients that their crude oil deliveries in January will be lower, to reflect the country’s compliance with the production cut agreed on by OPEC members last week, according to a note issued by PIRA Energy Group. The note also included information that the biggest cut in deliveries will be to the United States, as margins were lower there. The U.S. needs Saudi Arabian crude or equally heavy grades for its refineries, which require a mix of light and heavy grades to produce fuels and other oil products. This is an interesting development in light of Saudi Oil Minister Khalid al-Falih’s warning from mid-November that the U.S. should not try to stop imports from the kingdom. Al-Falih was addressing President-elect Donald Trump and his plan to make the country self-sufficient in terms of energy. At the time, Al-Falih said any such plan would hurt free trade and would not be “healthy” for the energy industry. Dec. 9, 2016
Headline:Saudi border guard killed in mine blast on Yemen border: agency
A Saudi border guard was killed by a landmine explosion on the border with Yemen, the Saudi state news agency SPA said on Friday, quoting an interior ministry spokesman. Houthi forces in Yemen, battling its internationally recognized government, have fired hundreds of mortars into southern Saudi Arabia and tested Saudi defences with guerrilla-style incursions since Riyadh intervened in Yemen's civil war last year. SPA said the mine exploded when it was struck by a vehicle transporting water along a border road on Thursday evening in Saudi Arabia's Jizan region. Dec. 9, 2016
Headline: Six police officers killed by Cairo bomb blast
Six policemen were killed and three injured on Friday when a bomb exploded at a security checkpoint in Cairo, security sources said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack in Al Haram street leading to the Pyramids, in which four civilians were also hurt. The policemen were either in or close to their car when the device went off in or near a garbage can, the sources said. The attack, close to a government building in a middle class neighbourhood of Cairo, was the latest in a series of security incidents in Egypt often claimed by radical Islamists. Attacks have stepped up since the military overthrew President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's oldest Islamist movement, in 2013 following mass protests against him. Dec. 9, 2016
Moscow started to deploy Chechen special operations forces units to Syria this week, debkafile’s military sources reveal. The troops come from elite units of the Chechen military with extensive field experience in urban warfare. Some of the units fought in eastern Ukraine in the past two years and, before that. in Chechnya for suppressing radical Islamic terror organizations linked to Al Qaeda and the Salafi movement. The soldiers called up for the deployment in Syria were ordered to report to the Khankala base east of the Chechen capital Grozny. They are being vetted by Russian officers who determine which are suitable for the Syrian mission. In the initial stage, the deployment will consist of three divisions totaling about 1,000 soldiers. Since like Russia, Chechen law bars regular army troops from being sent beyond the country’s borders, the soldiers assigned to Syria will wear the uniform of the Chechen Interior Ministry’s security forces, which are not part of the regular army. They will be flown directly from the Russian air force facility at the Khankala base by giant Ilyushin-76 transport planes to Russia’s Hmaimim Air Base, about 1,200km away. Moscow has never before dispatched a substantial number of ground troops to the Syrian battlefield. Dec. 8, 2016
Headline: U.N. General Assembly demands truce in Syria, end to Aleppo siege
Headline: Russia: ‘We Are Close’ to Deal With US on Aleppo
The United Nations General Assembly voted 122 to 13 on Friday to demand an immediate cessation of hostilities in Syria, humanitarian aid access throughout the country and an end to all sieges, including in Aleppo. Thirty-six countries abstained in the vote on the Canadian-drafted resolution on the nearly six-year Syrian conflict. General Assembly resolutions are non-binding, but can carry political weight. Meanwhile, Russia and the United States are close to reaching an understanding on Syria’s Aleppo, the Interfax news agency quoted Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying Thursday. “In the past several days an intensive document exchange on the situation in Aleppo has taken place,” Ryabkov was quoted as saying. “We are close to reaching an understanding, but I want to warn against high expectations,” Ryabkov added. Dec. 9, 2016
Headline: Iraqi forces withdraw from Mosul hospital days after capturing it from ISIS
Headline: Spanish parliament to consider sending more military to Iraq
Headline: Obama: US intel failed to properly evaluate ISIS ability to capture Mosul
Iraqi forces who seized a Mosul hospital on Tuesday that was also a key ISIS base have now been forced to withdraw from the site because of intense ISIS attacks including six car suicide attacks, residents said. Iraqi forces however have managed to establish a base for army tanks that will be used to launch attacks to reclaim the site. According to a statement by the U.S.-led coalition supporting Iraqi forces, the Iraqi forces had no choice but to evacuate the site after "heavy enemy fire". US-led jets then relentlessly struck the site. It is unknown how many ISIS terrorists were killed a result of the airstrikes. Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama said Thursday that his country’s intelligence networks had not provided him with the information needed to properly assess the threat posed by the Islamic State organization. In an interview with CNN, he said “the ability of ISIL to not just mass inside of Syria, but then to initiate major land offensives that took Mosul, for example, that was not on my intelligence radar screen”. Obama’s critics claimed in response that James Clapper, the director of national intelligence, warned in 2014 that Washington had “underestimated” Islamic State’s capabilities, and that some US military reports from forces on the ground had been altered to provide a more rosy assessment of the situation. Dec. 9, 2016
Headline: WikiLeaks claims its proven Turkish minister has links to ISIS
Thousands of emails have been released by WikiLeaks that came from Turkish minister Berat Albayrak, the son-in-law of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which proves links between Albayrak and deals he had with ISIS-controlled oil fields. The cache of emails were released on Monday and demonstrates his insider knowledge of Powertrans. Powertrans has a complete monopoly of Iraqi Kurdistan's roads and rail system into Turkey, and Albayrak has denied in the past that he has any connections to Powertrans. Powertrans have consistently been accused of facilitating ISIS blood-oil from reaching the fields in Iraq to Turkey. Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, justified the email release because of Erdogan's crackdown on free media. “The people of Turkey need a free media and a free internet,” Mr Assange said. 'The government's counter-coup efforts have gone well beyond their stated purpose of protecting the state... and are now primarily used to steal assets and eliminate critics. “This consolidation around the power vertical of Recep Tayyip Erdogan ultimately weakens Turkish institutionalism, leaving Turkey more susceptible to future coups by those in Erdogan's chain of command.” Many believe that Erdogan is grooming Albayrak to be his successor. Dec. 9, 2016
Headline: China Guarantees Support to Iran in 'Standoff Between Tehran, Washington'
Iran has won support from China in the face of possible new American sanctions against Tehran. This was one of the main results of Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif’s trip to Asia which ended on December 8. On December 3-8, the diplomat visited India, China and Japan, the three largest buyers of Iranian crude. On Thursday, during a press conference in Tokyo, Zarif said that the United States and the rest of the international community should respect the final agreement on the Iranian nuclear program. He noted that sanctions against Iran did not work and new sanctions would also be counterproductive. Earlier, during his visit in China, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Zarif that the terms of the agreement between Iran and six powers should be observed by all parties. The statement was made after US Congress passed a bill to extend sanctions against Tehran for 10 years. The document was submitted for signature to President Barack Obama. The American president is expected to sign the bill before his presidential term expires on January 20. Dec. 9, 2016
Headline: Defense Secretary Carter Offers Assurances to Afghan Leaders
Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Friday that the United States will stick with Afghanistan for years to come as a new U.S. president takes over what is already America's longest war. In a joint appearance In Kabul with Afghanistan's president, Ashraf Ghani, Carter said the U.S. cannot afford to give up on Afghanistan after more than 15 years of U.S. involvement, the deaths of more than 2,200 U.S. troops, and the expenditure of hundreds of billions of dollars. "The interests we are pursuing here are clear and enduring," he said, citing the goals of preventing another 9/11-type of attack on American soil and helping Afghanistan attain enough stability to remain a long-term security partner for the U.S. and the West. The war began as a response to the 9/11 attacks. "To have a stable security partner that is eager and willing to work with the United States is an asset for the future for us," Carter said. Carter was making his last planned trip to Afghanistan before handing off his Defense Department responsibilities to his successor. President-elect Donald Trump has nominated retired Marine Gen. James Mattis for the post. Dec. 9, 2016
Headline: Ethiopia at a crossroads as it feels the strain of civil unrest
No longer are bands of young men marauding on the outskirts of the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, trying to set fire to foreign-owned factories. Nearly two months into Ethiopia’s six-month state of emergency, it appears to be having the desired effect: protests rocking its two most populous regions have subsided. It remains to be seen, though, whether this is the beginning of a sustained period of calm or a temporary break in the most persistent and widespread protests this country has seen since the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) ruling party came to power following a revolution in 1991. At that crucial juncture Ethiopia embarked hopefully on a struggle to emerge in the modern world on its own terms. It succeeded in doing so by employing a unique political model that is “an alloy of revolutionary theories, pragmatic neoliberalism and intrinsically Ethiopian customary practices”, says historian and long-term Horn of Africa expert Gérard Prunier. While that political experiment has brought significant economic growth to the country, many claim it has failed the Ethiopian people, who are now voicing that fact. Dec. 9, 2016
Headline: Islamic State looks to regroup in Libya after losing Sirte
Islamic State has lost senior figures in an unsuccessful seven-month battle to defend its coastal stronghold in Libya, but there are already signs it will try to fight back through sleeper cells and desert brigades. Libyan officials say hundreds of Islamic State militants may have escaped before the start of the battle for Sirte in May or during its early stages. That has prompted fears of a counter-attack or insurgent campaign that could enable the militants to show they are still in business despite the rout, a heavy blow for a group that is also under intense military pressure in its core territory of Iraq and Syria. Some cells have already been active. Islamic State is thought to be behind at least two dozen attacks or attempted attacks to the south and west of Sirte since August, said Heni Nsaibia of Menastream, a risk consultancy that monitors jihadist activity in the region. Dec. 9, 2016
Headline: ISIS calls for attacks on US bases in Persian Gulf
Headline: ISIS has flooded Europe with 1,500 highly-trained terrorists ‘ready to launch attacks’, chilling EU report claims
The Islamic State (ISIS) terror group is calling for its followers to launch attacks in Bahrain, including those targeting American military personnel stationed on the tiny island. The call came in a video that also urges Islamic terrorists to attack the island’s Shiite majority amid a wider government crackdown on dissent there. The government is Sunni-ruled. Bahrain is home to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet, as well as an under-construction British naval base. Officials with 5th Fleet and the Bahraini government did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The video appeared timed for high-level meetings on the island. A Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) conference attended by British Prime Minister Theresa May ended on Wednesday. This weekend, Bahrain will host the Manama Dialogue, where US Defense Secretary Ash Carter is scheduled to give the opening address. Dec. 8, 2016
Headline: Veterans Who Stood With Standing Rock Say They’re Heading To Flint Next
Headline: The Northwest Braces For Its Own Standing Rock
Headline: First Nations youth launch fund to support pipeline protests in Canada
U.S. military veterans who traveled to North Dakota to support the Standing Rock Sioux in opposing the Dakota Access pipeline have new plans to organize in Flint, Michigan. Wes Clark Jr., a U.S. Army veteran, helped mobilize veterans to join the effort to protect the Standing Rock Sioux’s water supply. The tribe says crude oil could leak into their water if the pipeline were to cross under the Lake Oahe reservoir. Flint, where residents continue to have lead-tainted water despite a national outcry earlier this year, seems like the next logical destination for activism-minded vets. “We don’t know when we are going to be there, but we will be heading to Flint,” Clark told Michigan Live on Monday, noting that people have been mistreated for a long time and need support. Meanwhile, The clashes between police and protesters over the construction of a pipeline in North Dakota have subsided. But the larger conflict is far from over. Tribal nations and environmentalists are now gearing up to fight an even bigger pipeline in the Pacific Northwest. Last week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gave the green light to the construction of a new pipeline, dubbed the Trans Mountain Expansion Project. Dec. 8, 2016
Headline: Lincoln Memorial closes to prevent Trump protests- VIDEO
The Lincoln Memorial, which has been the backdrop for many of America's most historic protests, will close to prevent Donald Trump protests weeks before and after the inauguration. Dec. 9, 2016
Headline: Female suicide bombers kill 30 in northeast Nigerian town
Headline: Bomb blasts kill 10 in northeast Nigeria; Boko Haram blamed
Two female suicide bombers blew themselves up in the northeastern Nigerian town of Madagali on Friday, killing 30 people and wounding 57, an army spokesman said. "Based on the report from our men working on the ground, 30 were killed and 57 people were injured," said Major Badare Akintoye, a spokesman for an army unit based in Mubi, like Madagali a town in Adamawa state. "Security agents have taken over the area to avoid enemies coming in to cause another attack." he said. Dec. 9, 2016
Headline: South Korea Parliament Votes to Impeach Park
The South Korean National Assembly has voted to impeach President Park Geun-hye. With 234 of the parliament's 300 members voting Friday for impeachment, the measure gained more than the two-thirds majority support needed. The stunning and sudden collapse of Park’s presidency was caused by recent allegations that a multi-million dollar influence peddling scandal was being run out of the Blue House. After the vote, Chung Se-kyun, the speaker of the National Assembly, urged the government to heal the divisions and political turmoil that has paralyzed it over the scandal. "By passing of the impeachment motion, political uncertainty has been considerably settled down. The government officials should steadfastly put utmost effort into caring for the lives of our people," said Chung. The South Korean Defense Ministry has ordered the military on a heightened surveillance and readiness posture. Dec. 9, 2016
Headline: Japan tags dementia sufferers with barcodes
A Japanese city has introduced a novel way to keep track of senior citizens with dementia who are prone to getting lost -- tagging their fingers and toes with scan-able barcodes. A company in Iruma, north of Tokyo, developed tiny nail stickers, each of which carries a unique identity number to help concerned families find missing loved ones, according to the city's social welfare office. The adhesive QR-coded seals for nails -- part of a free service launched this month and a first in Japan -- measure just one centimetre (0.4 inches) in size. "Being able to attach the seals on nails is a great advantage," a city worker told AFP. "There are already ID stickers for clothes or shoes but dementia patients are not always wearing those items." If an elderly person becomes disorientated, police will find the local city hall, its telephone number and the wearer's ID all embedded in the QR code. The chips remain attached for an average of two weeks -- even if they get wet -- the official said, citing recent trials. Dec. 8, 2016
All earthquakes are instantly posted to the ETRM Facebook page- you do not need to sign up; click the photo below to see the earthquake album ***beginning November 29, 2016, earthquakes of a 5.0 magnitude and higher will be posted
~click the photo to see ALL the maps of the large earthquakes for the current year~
Headline: What’s shaking? List & map of USGS Earthquakes~Click the shaking house~
Bible prophecy documentary book download proving our generation will see the return of the Lord. Do you want to know what is going to happen in the future before it actually takes place? The Word of God provides you with specific details about our future and all of these things are coming to pass in this generation. If you aren’t saved yet this is a must read! The Last Chronicles of Planet Earth Dec. 5, 2016 Edition written by Frank DiMora
Solomon Islands tsunami threat over after 7.8 quake
A magnitude-7.8 earthquake hit close to the Solomon Islands early Friday, forecasters said.The earthquake hit less than 30 kilometers off the island of Makira -- and 70 kilometers southwest of the island's city of Kirakira -- about 4:38 a.m. local time Friday (12:38 p.m. ET Thursday), the US Geological Survey said. A number of tsunami warnings issued not long after the quake have been canceled, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.The largest observed wave, according to sea level gauges, was only 0.12 meters near Honiara on the island of Guadalcanal, some 200 kilometers northwest of the epicenter Dec. 8, 2016
Residents evacuated as 6.2-magnitude earthquake hits Xinjiang in western China
A 6.2-magnitude earthquake jolted a city in far western China on Thursday afternoon. The quake struck at 1.15pm in the city of Changji’s Hutubi county in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, according to the China Earthquake Networks Centre. The US Geological Survey measured the quake at a magnitude of 5.9. Internet users posted pictures on Chinese social media showing goods falling off shelves in stores and people in the city centre being evacuated to open space for safety. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties from the quake. Dec. 8, 2016
Bible prophecy documentary book download proving our generation will see the return of the Lord. Do you want to know what is going to happen in the future before it actually takes place? The Word of God provides you with specific details about our future and all of these things are coming to pass in this generation. If you aren’t saved yet this is a must read! The Last Chronicles of Planet Earth Dec. 5, 2016 Edition written by Frank DiMora
~Please be sure to CLICK on the photos for all Bible verses pertaining to each news story~
Headline: Biblical sheep in Israel for first time in millennia
The sheep have landed. After three years of high-level negotiations between the Israeli and Canadian governments, 119 heritage sheep, which trace their lineage back 5,000 years to the Middle East, began arriving in Israel on November 30. It is the first time that the breed, called Jacob’s sheep, has been represented in Israel since biblical times. Three of the 11 flights carrying the sheep have already arrived in Israel, according to Gil and Jenna Lewinsky, the shepherds who began raising these ovines on a whim in western Canada. “The first sheep arrived on the Jewish calendar the day that Noah came out of the ark, the 28th of Heshvan,” said Jenna Lewinsky. “It was beautiful to see them walk on the soil of Israel,” she said. “As a Jewish person I am so connected to the land, but to see the whole project connecting — it’s going to stay with me for the rest of my life.” Jenna Lewinsky immigrated to Israel just three weeks before the first flight of sheep came on their own baa-liyah. For now, the sheep are being held at a special private quarantine in the south of Israel, where they will stay for eight days after the arrival of the last sheep, a process that should take about a month. Afterward, the Lewinskys will rent a farm until they can find a permanent home. Dec. 6, 2016
Headline: Analysis: Settlement bill marks a revolutionary moment in Israeli history
A bill that could be the first step toward annexation of Area C of the West Bank, and which would overturn almost 40 years of judicial rulings on private Palestinian property rights, was approved by a Knesset vote of 58:51 on its first reading Wednesday night. If it passes into law, the legislation will be the most significant event in the settlement movement since the 2005 withdrawal, in which 25 settlements in Gaza and northern Samaria were evacuated. That seminal event was about territorial withdrawal. This legislation, in contrast, shores up the Israeli presence in Area C, by legalizing settler homes built on private Palestinian property and allowing for further settlement expansion. It would also mark one of the few times that the Knesset has legislated a law that applies to Area C. The application of Israeli law to the disputed territories is typically understood to be a sign of annexation. It is for these reasons that regulations in Judea and Samaria are set by the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) through a series through military orders and are not legislated by the Knesset. Dec. 7, 2016
Headline: UN urges Israel to reject plan to legalize ‘settlements’
Headline: Germany slams settlement bill that legalizes outposts
The UN is urging the Israeli government to vote against the Regulation Law, claiming it would reduce the prospect of a peace deal with the Palestinians. The UN’s Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov, said that Members of Knesset should vote against the Regulation Law, which would retroactively legalize some 4,000 Jewish outposts in Judea and Samaria. “If adopted, [the Regulation Law] will have far-reaching legal consequences for Israel, across the occupied West Bank and will greatly diminish the prospect of Arab-Israeli peace,” he said. “Some have pronounced it to be a step towards the annexation of the West Bank.” Mladenov was apparently responding to remarks by Education Minister and Chairman of the Jewish Home party Naftali Bennett, who earlier this week referred to the Regulation Law as “the spearhead of (Israeli) sovereignty” in Judea and Samaria. Dec. 6, 2016
Headline: High Court says Temple Mount restraining orders illegal
In a landmark decision, High Court judges accepted a petition submitted by the Honenu legal aid organization and stated that issuing restraining orders prohibiting entry of Jews into the Temple Mount is illegal. The ruling, issued by judges Danziger, Shoham and Solberg, referred to a petition submitted by attorney Menashe Yado of the Honenu organization which offers legal aid to soldiers and civilians involved in legal conflicts with the State. The petition was submitted in the name of two Jews who went up to the Temple Mount but were stopped by police and told that they could not enter the Mount before a hearing took place on the matter. The hearing itself is against police regulations and the restraining orders issued are also unauthorized by police regulations and by law. The police demanded that the petitioners sign a draconian list of commitments or they would refuse to let them enter the Temple Mount Compound. During the course of the hearing attorney Aviad Wisoly obtained access to police regulations regarding restraining orders and discovered that they were not implemented and that the police ignored them on a daily basis. in response to the petition, the police reneged on their position and allowed the two petitioners to ascend to the Temple Mount without any preconditions. The State announced that it intended to change the regulations and draft a new commitment, but in the meantime Yado claimed that the State should defray the costs of the petition. The High Court accepted this position and stated that the restraining orders issued by police were illegal, ruling that the state should defray court costs of 5,000 shekels to the petitioners. Dec. 7, 2016
Headline: Senate president voices Jordan’s support to Iraq in facing terrorism
Headline: Basra-Aqaba oil pipeline a lifeline for Jordan, Iraq
Headline: King meets with leader of Iraqi National Alliance
Headline: EU’s grants, loans to Jordan to total 500mln euros in 2016
Senate President Faisal Fayez said that Jordan, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II, stands by Iraq with all its components, is keen on Iraq’s unity and stability, and support its efforts if countering terror gangs. During a meeting on Wednesday with leader of the Iraqi National Alliance Ammar Al Hakim and the accompanying delegation, Fayez said that Jordanian-Iraqi relations have always been strong and based on mutual respect. “Jordan’s leadership, government and people are keen to forge closer relations with Iraq in various fields, and the Kingdom believes that Iraq’s security and stability is a Jordanian interest,” he added. Fayez stressed the Senate’s interest to build on the strong brotherly ties with Iraq, especially at this critical stage, as well as boost parliamentary ties with its neighbor in the interest of both countries. Dec. 7, 2016
Headline: Report: Hezbollah accuses Israel of striking targets near Damascus
Headline: Israel strikes Mezzeh Airbase in Damascus
Headline: Liberman: Israel acting to prevent WMDs from reaching Hezbollah
The Syrian regime has accused Israel of launching surface-to-surface missiles targeting the Mezzeh airbase near Damascus early Wednesday morning, causing damage but no casualties. According to a military source quoted by Syria’s SANA state media “The Israeli enemy launched at 3:00 am Wednesday a number of surface-to-surface missiles from inside the occupied territories to the west of Tall Abu al-Nada (hill) that landed in the surroundings of al-Mezzeh Airport west of Damascus.” Earlier on Wednesday, Hezbollah accused the Israeli Air Force of striking Mezze west of the Syrian capital close to President Bashar Assad’s palace at around 4 am, causing large explosions but no casualties.According to Syrian reports the strike would “only make the Syrian Arab Army even more determined to cut off the hands of the terrorists agents of the Zionist entity, which should be held fully responsible for the repercussions and consequences of these criminal attacks.” Meanwhile, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman met with diplomats from the European Union in Jerusalem Wednesday. During the meeting, Liberman acknowledged the truth of reports that Israel is acting to prevent the transfer of sophisticated weapons and even weapons of mass destruction to the Hezbollah terrorist organization in Lebanon from Syria. Israel is “working primarily to protect the security of our citizens, defend our sovereignty, and try to prevent the smuggling of sophisticated weapons, military equipment and weapons of mass destruction from Syria to Hezbollah,” Liberman said. Dec. 7, 2016
Headline: Exclusive: PM May says Saudi saved UK from attacks
UK Prime Minister Theresa May confirmed that Britain will stand against any action by Iran that is threatening to the region, highlighting joint operations with the Gulf Cooperation Council in order to combat terrorism, she said in an exclusive interview with Al Arabiya News Channel. During her joint meeting with the leaders of the GCC in Manama, on Wednesday, PM May said: “There is information provided by Saudi Arabia that has saved Britain from terrorist operations, and there are opportunities we must use with our friends in the Gulf …GCC security is also UK security” Al Arabiya will air on Wednesday an exclusive interview with the British Prime Minister. The interview that was conducted by Turki al-Dakhil is the first for the British PM on an Arab satellite channel since she took office. Read the full transcript below Dec. 7, 2016
Headline: Yemen to UN: ‘The road map is a dangerous step’
The Yemeni mission to the United Nations refused on Tuesday the road map proposed by the special envoy Ould Cheikh Ahmed, aimed at ending the war. The mission stated that his plan would be set a “dangerous international precedent” as it would legitimize the rebel-led coup against the internationally recognized government of Yemen. The Yemeni mission addressed a letter to the UN Security Council, describing the plan as an incitement to legitimize the rebellion and the rebels’ agenda. The letter included a list of the steps required before any political solution could be reached, including the abstention from involving the ousted Saleh and leader of Houthi militias, Abdulmalik al-Houthi in Yemen’s political arena. It also stipulated that they both needed to leave the country with their families to any country they choose for at least 10 years. Dec. 7, 2016
Headline: Syrian Army officially enters surrendered east Aleppo districts
Headline: Syria opposition call for Aleppo truce, civilian evacuation
Headline: Turkish air strikes kill 23 ISIS militants in Syria’s al-Bab- Aleppo Province
The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has officially entered two of the recently surrendered districts of east Aleppo today after the militants fled the area, per the Russian-Turkish agreement. According to an Al-Masdar field correspondent, the Syrian Arab Army’s elite Tiger Forces entered the Kadi Asker and Bab Al-Hadid districts of east Aleppo, following the departure of the jihadist rebels earlier this morning. As a result of yesterday night’s surrender by the jihadist rebels, the Syrian Arab Army now controls the entire area around the Aleppo Citadel, including the provincial capital’s second largest mosque that was turned into a militant base. However, the battle for east Aleppo is far from over for the Syrian Arab Army, as the jihadist rebels still maintain control over the strategic Marjah, Sheikh Lufti, and Sheikh Sa’eed districts. Dec. 7, 2016
Headline: Syrian Army surrounds key highway in East Ghouta as offensive nears- Rif Dimashq Province
For weeks, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has been building up their forces in the East Ghouta region, sending wave-after-wave of reinforcements to the Harasta Highway area as they prepare to launch their biggest offensive in rural Damascus. Led by the 105th Brigade of the Republican Guard and the Palestine Liberation Army (Palestinian wing of the SAA), the Syrian Arab Army has surrounded the Harasta Highway that flows through the key East Ghouta towns of Douma and Harasta, leaving the Islamist rebels of Jaysh Al-Islam (Army of Islam) with two choices: surrender or fight. In the coming weeks, the Syrian Arab Army is expected to begin this offensive to reopen the Harasta Highway and end the Islamist presence in the East Ghouta. Dec. 7, 2016
Headline: Iraqi forces capture hospital in Mosul from ISIS
Headline: ISIS launches overnight attack against Iraqi troops in Mosul
Headline: Mosul offensive folds, waiting now for Trump
Iraqi forces have liberated the al-Salam Hospital from ISIS. The hospital is situated on the left bank of Tigris River in Mosul. Major General Walid al-Khalifah, the deputy of the army’s 9th Division, said the Iraqi national flag was hoisted over the hospital building on Tuesday, PressTV reported. Al-Talimi Hospital in Mosul was also then captured from ISIS. Meanwhile the 9th Division are still clearing the al-Salam neighborhood of ISIS. Meanwhile, ISIS militants have launched an overnight attack against Iraqi security forces in southeastern Mosul, a day after the troops advanced deeper into the city. Iraqi Army Sgt. Maj. Hakim Saranbii told The Associated Press on Wednesday the attack “inflicted heavy losses” without providing further details. Iraqi Defense Ministry officials in Bagdad didn’t immediately comment. Dec. 7, 2016
Headline: Amnesty International calls for Turkey to allow displaced Kurds to go home
Andrew Gardner, Amnesty’s Turkey researcher, has urged Turkey on Monday to “lift the curfew without delay” and allow displaced Kurds to return to their home in the southeastern city of Diyarbakir. “People were forced to leave their homes with a short notice,” Gardner said, adding, “They need to be compensated for the loss of their possessions but also for the loss of their livelihoods because when they lost their homes, they also lost their jobs in a great number of cases.” “There isn’t any concrete, detailed or credible plan for how these families are going to be able to return to their homes,” he continued. He also claimed that half a million people had been displaced by clashes between the Kurdistan Workers Party militiamen and the Turkish military. Dec. 6, 2016
Headline: Greek court rules to extradite 3 Turkish coup soldiers
Headline: Greece is ready for WAR with Albania and Turkey
A Greek court has ruled to extradite 3 out of 8 Turkish soldiers who fled to Greece after the failed coup attempt, The Daily Sabah has reported. The coup against President Erdogan began on 15 July 2016 and ended the next day. On 16 July 2016, eight Turkish military personnel landed in Alexandroupolis in northerneastern Greece. They landed in the city onboard a Black Hawk helicopter. Turkish foreign minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu demanded extradition of “the eight traitors as soon as possible” in which the Greek authorities responded: “We will follow the procedures of international law. However, we give very serious considerations to the fact that [the Turkish military men] are accused, in their own country, of violating the constitutional order and trying to overthrow democracy.” The Athens council of appeals judges approved Turkey’s extradition request for three of the group Tuesday on charges of being involved in the coup, attempting to impede a parliamentary session and the seizure of a helicopter. It rejected the charge of involvement in an assassination attempt against President Erdoğan, the Daily Sabah report continued. The court ruled that the thee pilots should be returned to Turkey to stand trial for three of the four crimes they are accused of by Turkey, lawyer Stavroula Tomara told Reuters. Meanwhile, Greek Minister of Defense, Panos Kammenos threatened today Albania, when he mentioned a conflict with Turkey and Albania. His provocative statement was made during the opening of a military post on the border with Albania, a movement to protect and enhance security according to Greeks. After speaking of a clash with Turkey, Kammenos said that the Greek Armed Forces are ready for any situation. He also said that Rama’s statements regarding Chams are just for political consumption. “Rama’s statements must remind us that those people were Nazi collaborators. We will not accept such challenges. These challenges infect history and the international law, “said Kammenos. Dec. 7, 2016
Headline: Iranian UAV attacked Turkish troops in Syria, senior source in Ankara says
An Iranian-made unmanned aerial vehicle participated in an attack on Turkish troops operating in Syria that left four dead and 10 wounded in late November, a senior Turkish government source told the Turkish press on Wednesday. The attack took place just two days before Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Hakan Fidan, head of the country’s MIT intelligence agency, made a surprise visit to Tehran on November 26. Cavusoglu denied on Wednesday that his visit dealt with the drone incident, claiming that the talks with Iranian officials covered ways of ending the crisis in Syria and sending humanitarian aid. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had said earlier that it had been made clear to him that no Russian manned or unmanned aircraft was operating in the airspace in question. Meanwhile, a Turkish soldier was killed and six others were wounded on Wednesday when an ISIS car bomb blew up in the city of Al-Bab in northern Syria. Dec. 7, 2016
Headline: Taliban could offer ceasefire with Afghani government to fight ISIS
Headline: Saudis Bankroll Taliban, Even as King Officially Supports Afghan Government
The Taliban could offer a limited ceasefire to Afghanistan’s government to enable the warring parties focus on operations against the widening threat posed by ISIS, Taliban commanders who have participated in recent internal deliberations told This Week in Asia. The ceasefire proposal, yet to receive the final approval, is the latest in a series of political initiatives of the Taliban as it seeks to position itself as the first line of defence against the IS, which has set up a government in Khorasan, in the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar, South China Morning Post reported. The proposal was floated by a top Taliban intelligence operations figure known by the nom de guerre Abu Jindal and discussed at gatherings of military commanders active in Afghanistan or based in neighbouring Pakistan last week, several participants told This Week In Asia on condition of anonymity. Dec. 5, 2016
Headline: Sudanese army conducts largest-ever military drills
Headline: Climate change could render Sudan ‘uninhabitable’
Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) on Tuesday said it has conducted the largest military exercises in its history in the presence of President Omer al-Bashir and senior army commanders. The military maneuvers “Knights’ Challenge” were conducted at Al-Ma’aqil military area in the River Nile state as part of SAF’s 2016 training program. SAF’s Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Emad al-Din Mustafa Adawi said the exercise was the largest in the history of the Sudanese army, pointing the new strategy of the exercises involves the largest war formation from all military units. Dec. 6, 2016
Headline: Libyan militias launch assault on vital oil terminals
Libyan militias that were expelled from the eastern city of Benghazi are now advancing toward the country’s vital oil terminals, seeking to establish control over Libya’s primary revenue source. The so-called Benghazi Defense Force launched its assault on Wednesday, taking over three eastern towns including the al-Sidra terminal, according to lawmaker Tarek al-Jaroushi, who is the head of the national security committee in the internationally-recognized parliament. Dec. 7, 2016
Headline: Thousands of Tunisian lawyers join protest against new taxes
Headline: Tunisia’s proposed ID law threatens hard-won privacy rights
Several thousand Tunisian lawyers demonstrated on Tuesday in front of the prime minister’s office, with some demanding his resignation as they escalated a protest against widely unpopular new taxes that will hit them and other high-end professions. Under a budget draft approved by parliament’s finance committee on Monday, lawyers will pay tax of between about $8 to $20 on each file they present to court. The levy is part of austerity measures proposed for 2017 by a government under pressure from international lenders to cut the fiscal deficit. According to a Reuters witness some 3,500 of the country’s 8,500 lawyers joined the protest in Tunis which, coming on top of an open-ended strike that the profession launched on Monday, will test the government’s resolve to implement its reforms. The budget draft also includes a public sector wage freeze, in protest at which the UGTT union – the country’s biggest – has called a general strike for Thursday. Sources told Reuters that the union was likely to cancel the planned strike after a new offer from the government. At Tuesday’s protest, lawyers chanted: “We reject this unjust law” with some demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Youssef Chahed. Dec. 6, 2016
Headline: Armenia Urges Artsakh Recognition as Aliyev Calls for ‘Reclaiming’ Yerevan, Meghri
Armenia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan on Monday once again urged the international community to recognize the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic in light of comments made over the weekend by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev who said that Azerbaijan will one day claim its “historic lands,” referring to Yerevan and Meghri. “Unsubstantiated claims by Azerbaijan regarding the territories of Armenia openly prove why the international community should recognize the independence of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, whereas Azerbaijan should bear international responsibility for the aggression unleashed against the self-determined Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and its consequences,” Kocharyan told Armenpress in response to Aliyev’s remarks. Speaking to an audience in the Terter region of Azerbaijan on Sunday, Aliyev said while his country will not claim any territory from Armenia through the use of military force, a strong Azerbaijan will ensure that reclaim “all our historic lands.” “Today, we are not claiming any in the modern Republic of Armenia. We do not intend to reclaim Yerevan, Meghri, Goris through military force, but I’m sure that time will come, and we, Azerbaijanis, will return to all our historic lands,” said Aliyev. Dec. 7, 2016
Headline: Islamic State has claimed more than 1,000 suicide attacks thus far in 2016
Headline: CIA Director Visits Albania for Counterterrorism Talks
The Islamic State’s Amaq News Agency releases an infographic summarizing the total number of “martyrdom operations” (suicide attacks) carried out by its followers each month. The latest infographic, which was released yesterday and can be seen below, indicates that 132 suicide bombings were launched in Iraq and Syria during the month of November. Via Amaq’s infographics, the Islamic State has now claimed responsibility for a staggering 1,034 suicide attacks through the first eleven months of 2016. In addition to Iraq and Syria, some of these took place in Libya. The overwhelming majority of these have been carried out inside Iraq, where the Islamic State is trying to hold its territory. During the month of November, for example, 112 (or 85 percent) of the claimed suicide bombers were detonated in Iraq, with 94 occurring in the Nineveh province alone. The US military, Iraqi government, Kurdish forces, Iranian-backed militias and others launched an offensive to retake Mosul, which is located in Nineveh, in October. Amaq’s infographic for November is the latest piece of evidence indicating that the Islamic State is relying on a large number of suicide bombers to defend the city. Dec. 7, 2016
Headline: Attorneys Challenge Park Service Over Inauguration Protests
Headline: ISIS declares Trump inauguration day ‘BLOODY FRIDAY’
The National Park Service is quashing dissent by blocking access to public space for those who want to demonstrate before, during and after President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, Washington civil rights attorneys said Wednesday. Attorney Mara Verheyden-Hilliard of the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund — who has successfully litigated on behalf of protesters in Washington for more than a decade — threatened legal action against the park service if it does not rescind a permit the agency itself took out to block groups from using land around the White House and the National Mall for demonstrations. The park service historically reserves space for use by the Presidential Inaugural Committee, but Verheyden-Hilliard said the denial of protest permits has gone too far this time and is unconstitutional. “This is public land. This land belongs to all of us. The park service’s role is only to act as a neutral administrator and steward of public land,” she said. “They have done a massive land grab to the detriment of all those who want to engage in free speech activities.” The park service and activists agree that Trump’s election has prompted an unusually large number of groups to seek protest permits, including organizers of a planned women’s march on Washington the day after the inauguration. That group has been denied a permit to gather at the Lincoln Memorial. Dec. 7, 2016
Headline: Standing Rock Sioux leader urges pipeline protesters to leave
Two leaders of Trump’s Native American Affairs Coalition floated on Monday the idea of giving tribes more control over their land, which Reuters described as “politically explosive.” Some 55.7 million acres (225,000 square kilometers) of Native American lands are being “held in trust” for the tribes by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, an agency under the US Department of the Interior. While they say that the move could help impoverished tribes profit from oil and gas, critics have denounced it as “privatization.” Meanwhile, A spokesman for President-elect Donald Trump Monday reaffirmed his commitment to completing the Dakota Access pipeline, despite widespread protests that have led to a delay and possible re-routing of the oil pipeline in North Dakota. Trump supports construction of the pipeline but will make a full deliberation upon taking office, the spokesman said. “With regard to the Dakota Access Pipeline, that’s something that we support construction of and we’ll review the full situation when we’re in the White House and make the appropriate determination at that time,” Jason Miller, a spokesman for Trump, said, according to the Wall Street Journal. **** We have Trump advisors telling him one thing and Trump spokesman Jason Miller saying something else Dec. 6, 2016
At least 31 people died in clashes between ethnic militia and security forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo at the weekend, officials say. They say the violence in the central Kasai province was sparked by a row between an uncle and a nephew over the title of a traditional chief. Deputy Governor Hubert Mbingho N’Vula said 13 members of the security forces sent to quell the fighting were among those killed. Eighteen militiamen also died, he said. Mr N’Vula said public order had been restored in and around the city of Tshikapa in the remote province. DR Congo is beset by sporadic violence between ethnic militias. This has been inflamed further by the postponing of a presidential election due to be held before the end of the year. Dec. 6, 2016
Headline: Somalia recaptures town from ISIS-linked fighter, 34 dead
A Somali official says security forces have recaptured a port town from ISIS-linked fighters in the semi-autonomous state of Puntland. Yusuf Mohamed, the governor of Puntland’s commercial hub of Bossaso, says 30 militants and four soldiers were killed during the operation Wednesday to recapture Qandala. Residents confirmed that troops entered the town after fighters retreated into nearby villages. The seizure of Qandala in October had been the first victory for the ISIS-linked fighters, who are expanding the areas under their control amid a rivalry with the homegrown al-Shabab extremist group. Dec. 7, 2016
Headline: The EU needs to make itself battle-ready
A week before Christmas, EU heads of state and government are set to discuss security and defence at their regular European Council meeting in Brussels. It may not be a typical pre-holiday topic, but its urgency makes us focus on it even in the time of family gatherings and last-minute Christmas shopping. After all, this should be a time of peace, which is exactly the objective of the upcoming discussion. The European Union is by all accounts the strongest global player in the soft power arena. The level of our development aid and the economic ties with the least developed countries set a good example for the rest of the world. Soft power itself, though, cannot solve all the challenges we now face. If we are to engage in crises and conflicts in our neighbourhood and support the resilience of third countries we must increase our efforts in hard power policies as well. Now is the time to do so and we should not miss the opportunity to move forward. With this in mind, the Czech Republic believes the EU should – within the framework of the current Treaties – make full use of all relevant provisions and instruments available, maximise the synergies of civilian and military assets and enhance its cooperation with Nato as much as possible. Today’s challenges require us to reinforce our own European strategic autonomy. Dec. 7, 2016
Headline: EU Threatens Action if Facebook ‘Hate Speech’ Not Censored in 24 Hours
The unelected executive arm of the European Union (EU) is threatening to escalate from “non-legislative” action if Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube do not censor what it considers “illegal” online speech within 24 hours. In May of this year, the U.S. tech giants signed a “code of conduct”, promising to work with the Commission and national law enforcement to “criminalize” and “sanction” “individual perpetrators” as well as committing to “promoting independent counter-narratives” that the EU favours. Speaking on Sunday, the EU’s justice commissioner added “fake news” to the list of what they want censored online. The “series of commitments to combat the spread of illegal hate speech online in Europe” developed “together with… the IT companies” included a promise to “review the majority” of flagged “hate speech” within 24 hours. However, a new European Commission report has claimed this has only been happening in Germany and France so far, and censorship often takes too long. Consequently, one commissioner implied they could pass new censorship laws if the “non-legislative approach” fails. Dec. 7, 2016
Headline: Newest headache for Venezuelans: Accessing and carrying loads of worthless cash
Imagine this: $20,000 cash, in $10, $20 and $50 bills. Not long ago, a 79-year-old lady in Caracas, Venezuela, received her pension in such way — a mountain of bolivar bills she had trouble taking home. “I have to put them in the suitcase, because they don’t fit in my wallet,” Clarisa Matson de Garcia told Fox News Latino. “And then I pray that nobody robs me in the street.” With the enormously devalued Venezuelan currency ($1 equals roughly 4,400 bolivars in the black market), those 20,000 bolivars barely pay for a T-shirt or a birthday cake. The highest denomination bill in the country is currently 100 bolívars, the cost of a piece of candy. In a country where approximately 35 percent of the population does not have a bank account, the out-of-control inflation has turned every petty errand and transaction into a major headache. “Sometimes, when I try to pay with a pile of 10 bolívars, people don’t accept it,” Matson de Garcia said. Last week, after months of popular clamor, the Central Bank announced that in mid-December it will start rolling out bills of higher denominations. The new highest bill will be 20,000 bolivars — some $4.55 in the black market rate, the only market actually available to Venezuelans due to the government’s tight currency control. Dec. 7, 2016
Headline: 5 Afghan teens in Sweden charged with raping Afghan boy
Swedish authorities on Tuesday charged five teenagers from Afghanistan with aggravated rape for allegedly dragging another Afghan boy into a forest, threatening him with a knife and raping him. The alleged assault took place in October in a forested area in the city of Uppsala, north of Stockholm. Prosecutor Johan Stromback told The Associated Press that the five suspects are 16 and 17 years old, while the boy they allegedly assaulted is under 15. Stromback said all arrived in Sweden as unaccompanied minors seeking asylum. The accused were charged with aggravated rape of a minor, a crime in Sweden that is punishable by at least four years in prison for adults and juvenile detention for minors, he said. The indictment calls for all five to be expelled from Sweden and barred from returning after serving any sentences. According to the indictment, the accused punched the alleged victim in the head, raped him and spat on him. It said the assault “was planned and lasted for at least an hour” and left the boy with bruises, scrapes and bite marks on his back. The accused allegedly filmed parts of the assault and threatened to post clips on social media if the victim went to police. Dec. 7, 2016
Headline: Campus police officer shoots student who reportedly stabbed classmate at Nevada high school
Headline: One officer dead, one critical in Americus, Georgia shooting; manhunt for suspect underway
A student at a high school in Reno, Nev., stabbed a classmate before a campus police officer shot the knife-wielding teen Wednesday, a witness told the Reno Gazette-Journal. Paramedics rushed the Hug High School student who was shot to Renown Hospital Medical Center, Nevada Department of Public Safety director James Wright said. The conditions of the teens were unclear. Freshman Robert Barragan told the paper the knife-wielding student fell to the ground after the officer shot him. The two students, both boys, had been fighting outside the school library before one pulled out the knife, Barragan said. Reno police were helping in the investigation, Fox 11 reported. Officers later said the scene was “secure,” but the lockdown remained in effect, KTVN added. Wright said the officer wasn’t hurt. Dec. 7, 2016
Headline: Death toll rises to close to 100 following Indonesia earthquake
At least 97 people were killed and hundreds injured after an earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale hit Indonesia’s Aceh province. Television footage showed flattened houses and buildings, including shops and mosques in the worst-affected districts of Pidie Jaya and Pidie. Roads were cracked with gaping fissures. The death toll rose to 97 on Wednesday afternoon after more bodies were found, Aceh military commander Major General Tatang Sulaiman said. “So far 97 people have been killed and the number keeps growing,” Mr Sulaiman said. “When we retrieve bodies sometimes there’s five, sometimes 10 corpses.” Nearly 300 were injured, at least 73 seriously, said national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Nugroho. Dec. 7, 2016
This view from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft was obtained about half a day before its first close pass by the outer edges of Saturn’s main rings during its penultimate mission phase. The view shows part of the giant, hexagon-shaped jet stream around the planet’s north pole. Each side of the hexagon is about as wide as Earth. A circular storm lies at the center, at the pole (see PIA14944). The image was taken with the Cassini spacecraft wide-angle camera on Dec. 3, 2016, at a distance of about 240,000 miles (390,000 kilometers) from Saturn. Image scale is 14 miles (23 kilometers) per pixel. Dec. 6, 2016
All earthquakes are instantly posted to the ETRM Facebook page- you do not need to sign up; click the photo below to see the earthquake album ***beginning November 29, 2016, earthquakes of a 5.0 magnitude and higher will be posted
~click the photo to see ALL the maps of the large earthquakes for the current year~
Headline: What’s shaking? List & map of USGS Earthquakes~Click the shaking house~
Bible prophecy documentary book download proving our generation will see the return of the Lord. Do you want to know what is going to happen in the future before it actually takes place? The Word of God provides you with specific details about our future and all of these things are coming to pass in this generation. If you aren’t saved yet this is a must read!
Bible prophecy documentary book download proving our generation will see the return of the Lord. Do you want to know what is going to happen in the future before it actually takes place? The Word of God provides you with specific details about our future and all of these things are coming to pass in this generation. If you aren’t saved yet this is a must read!
Bible prophecy documentary book download proving our generation will see the return of the Lord. Do you want to know what is going to happen in the future before it actually takes place? The Word of God provides you with specific details about our future and all of these things are coming to pass in this generation. If you aren’t saved yet this is a must read! The Last Chronicles of Planet Earth Nov. 23, 2016 Edition written by Frank DiMora
~Please be sure to CLICK on the photos for all Bible verses pertaining to each news story~
Headline: Rains drench Israel, snow cools the north
Headline: Small earthquake felt in northern Israel
Heavy rains are expected to continue to fall on Israel throughout the weekend, accompanied by strong winds and thunder in some places. With the strong rainfall comes the risk of floods which will possibly bring movement to a standstill in a number of locations throughout the country, particularly in the center of cities. The cooling temperatures and wetter conditions are not the only offers of respite in what has been an extremely protracted summerand a grave cause for concern for Israel’s farmers and population alike. Meanwhile, For the second time in two weeks, northern Israel feels a small tremor as a 3.8 magnitude earthquake rocks 5 kilometers north of the Kineret. Dec. 2, 2016
Headline: Obama postpones moving of embassy to Jerusalem
President Barack Obama on Thursday signed a waiver which prevents moving the American embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Congress passed a law in 1995 mandating the move of the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, but allowed the President to exercise a waiver delaying the move. The waiver must be renewed every six months. “I hereby determine that it is necessary, in order to protect the national security interests of the United States, to suspend for a period of 6 months the limitations set forth in sections 3(b) and 7(b) of the Act,” Obama said in a memorandum. Thursday marked the eighth time Obama has signed the waiver, which has been signed by every President since Bill Clinton, each time citing “national security” as the reason for the delay. However, this could be the last time the waiver is renewed – if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on his campaign promises. During the election campaign, Trump promised to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv in recognition of Jerusalem being Israel’s capital city. Republican Senators Ted Cruz and Dean Heller drafted a law last year that would remove the president’s authority to invoke national security as a reason to ignore Congressional resolutions on moving the embassy to Jerusalem. The Palestinian Authority, which wants Jerusalem to be the capital of its desired future state, has expressed anger over Trump’s campaign promises and vowed to “make life miserable” for the United States at the United Nations if he follows through with the move. Dec. 2, 2016
Headline: Hamas to hold war preparation drill in Gaza
The government of Hamas, which is the de-facto governing authority in Gaza, continues to build up its military capabilities in preparation for a future conflict with Israel. Gaza’s Interior Ministry, which is in charge of the local security forces, many of whom are active in Hamas’s Al-Qassam Brigades, announced on Thursday that a comprehensive military drill will be held throughout the coastal enclave this coming Sunday. According to the announcement, the drill will begin at 10:00 a.m. Sunday morning, and sounds of explosions and gunfire will be heard in Gaza during that time. The police headquarters and some of the Palestinian security forces will be evacuated during the drill, and the forces will be deployed in the field. This appears to be a drill practicing a scenario of an Israeli attack. In recent years, Hamas has been working feverishly to rebuild its infiltration tunnel networkinto Israel, after the IDF destroyed the network during Operation Protective Edge in 2014. In addition, the group has invested considerable resources in the development and procurement of weapons, including long-range missiles that cover most of the territory of the State of Israel. As part of these efforts, Hamas conducts ongoing missile tests meant to advance its domestic rocket arsenal ahead of its next terror war against Israel. Just last week, a senior Hamas official announced that Hamas has thousands of rockets capable of striking Tel Aviv and localities to the north in the event of another war. Dec. 2, 2016
Two incidents this week showcase the complexity of the challenges facing Israel on its northern front. In the first, an air strike killed four members of the Islamic State-affiliated Khalid Ibn al-Walid Brigade after a patrol of the Golani reconnaissance unit in the southern Golan Heights was targeted by the organization. Israeli aircraft then targeted a facility used by the group in the Wadi Sirhan area. In the second incident, according to regional media reports, Israeli aircraft operating from Lebanese airspace fired Popeye missiles at targets in the Sabboura area, 8 km. northwest of Damascus. There were no casualties, according to SANA, the official Syrian news agency.London-based Arabic newspaper Rai al-Youm reported that the Israeli strike was targeting a Hezbollah-bound weapons convoy. The paper also reported that Israeli aircraft carried out a second strike on a facility of Syria’s 4th Armored Division, near Damascus. Israel neither confirmed nor denied the second incident. But on a number of occasions over the last four years of war in Syria, Israel has used its ability to operate in the skies over Syria to prevent weapons transfers to Hezbollah in Lebanon from the Syrian regime. It is possible that this incident was the latest act in this effort. These two events are of tactical importance only. Neither is likely at this stage to lead to broader engagements, but they reflect a reality in which some of the world’s most powerful non-state military organizations are deployed close to Israel’s border with Syria, making war against one another while planning and organizing for a future war against the Jewish state. Dec. 2, 2016
Headline: Iran: We have ‘unwavering support’ for Palestine
Iran’s Deputy Ambassador to the UN Gholam-Hossein Dehqani said to the international organisation that Israel continues to commit atrocities against the Palestinians. Israel “continues to disregard and disrespect the persistent demands by the international community to abide by international law,” he said in a statement addressed to the UN General Assembly on Wednesday. “The systematic violation of the rights of the Palestinian people, including demolition of homes, forced displacement of Palestinian civilians, arrest and detention of Palestinians, including children, and incessant violence, terror and provocations by Israeli settlers and extremists, including at sensitive religious sites, particularly al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem al-Quds , have persisted unabated,” he continued. Dec. 1, 2016
Headline: Israel’s new ambassador arrives in Turkey- VIDEO
Headline: ‘Drop charges against Israelis in Mavi Marmara incident’
A Turkish prosecutor called on Friday for charges related to the 2010 Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound ship attempting to break the sea blockade imposed by Israel on Gaza in order to prevent arms shipments, to be dropped following diplomatic reconciliation between Turkey and Israel, state media reported. The so-called “Mavi Marmara incident” in question occurred when IDF soldiers boarded the Mavi Marmara ship after Turkish Islamists posing as humanitarian aid workers refused to change their course from Gaza and dock at the Ashdod Port. On Friday the prosecutor told an Istanbul court that the case against the Israeli individuals should be dropped because of the agreement, state-run news agency Anadolu said. Turkish prosecutors had been seeking life sentences for the alleged involvement of former military chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi, former navy chief Eliezer Marom, former military intelligence head Amos Yadlin and former air force intelligence chief Avishai Levy, who went on trial in Turkey in absentia in 2012. In October, families of the Islamists killed aboard the ship and lawyers told AFP they had no intention of dropping the lawsuits despite the deal. One of the final key elements of returning to normal relations was the exchange of ambassadors, which will formally take place this month. Israel’s envoy Eitan Naeh arrived in Ankara on Thursday, and he is due to present his letter of credence to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan within days. Meanwhile, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim’s policy advisor Kemal Okem will start work as Turkey’s ambassador to Israel on December 12, Anadolu said on Friday. Dec. 2, 2016
Headline: UN calls on Israel to transfer control of the Golan Heights to Syria
Headline: Stunning World, UN Passes 6 Resolutions Confirming Everything Is Israel’s Fault
UN released the Document a/7l/I.8 calling for the return of the Golan Heights to the Syrian state. Israel had annexed the Syrian Golan during the infamous Six Day War of 1967 along with the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula. Since then, Israel has ceded Sinai to the sovereign control of Egypt under a US-sponsored peace deal while the Syrian state and its Israeli counterpart failed to reach such a diplomatic breakthrough. The UN General Assembly on Wednesday adopted six resolutions on “Palestinian and Middle East issues,” ranging from Jerusalem to the United Nations special information program on the question of Palestine. The good news is that Israel still has a smattering of friends at the UN: Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, and the United States (and Israel, of course) voted against; Australia, Cameroon, Honduras, Guatemala, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Tonga, and Vanuatu abstained. The rest, 153 world nations that include places where you plan to spend your vacation this summer or buy your car, condemned Israel as being responsible for most of the ills of the planet, especially the Middle East. For instance, Haya al-Duraie, representing Kuwait which in 1991 expelled 400,000 Palestinians into the desert, expressed support for international efforts that were laying the foundation for security and stability in the region. “However,” the ambassador warned, “the faltering peace process continues to present a danger to the Middle East.” There you have it. Dec. 1, 2016
Headline: Turkish FM stresses stability in Lebanon
Visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stressed Friday that “stability is an important factor in Lebanon,” reiterating the importance of “strengthening the Turkish-Lebanese relations.” Cavusoglu, who kicked off a visit to Beirut on Friday, held a meeting with President Michel Aoun and conveyed a message from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of congratulating the Lebanese new head of state on his election, the National News Agency (NNA) reported. Touching on the repercussions of the influx of Syrian refugees into Lebanon, Aoun highlighted the “need for reaching a political solution in Syria” and hailed Lebanon’s role in sheltering displaced Syrians. Dec. 2, 2016
Headline: Egypt and Saudi Arabia: Marriage on the Rocks?
For several decades, the alliance between Egypt and Saudi Arabia has served as an anchor of a pro-Western geopolitical order in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Dating back to the 1970s, Cairo and Riyadh’s mutual interests and concerns about common threats and shared opportunities have fostered strong ties between the Arab world’s most populous state and its wealthiest one. Egypt, which has faced major security, political, and economic challenges in recent years, has grown quite dependent on the oil-rich kingdom for financial aid. The Saudis, long reliant on external support for defense, have counted on Egypt as a strong and experienced military force to confront what they perceive to be Iran’s expansionist and “aggressive” operations throughout the region. Recently, however, the Cairo-Riyadh relationship has significantly deteriorated. In October, Egypt sided with Russia in yet another clash within the United Nations Security Council over Syria by voting with Moscow in favor of a Russian resolution that argued for a ceasefire in Syria excluding Aleppo. The move felt like an unexpected betrayal for Saudi Arabia, which for years has strongly opposed the axis crafted in Syria among Moscow, Tehran, Lebanese Hezbollah, and Damascus. Abdullah al-Muallami, Riyadh’s envoy to the U.N., called Cairo’s vote “painful,” Just a few days later, Saudi Aramco announced its intention to suspend deliveries of petroleum to Egypt, a country that is constantly at risk of energy crises. Dec. 2, 2016
Headline: Aleppo army break siege and ready for urban warfare
Rebels in Aleppo have agreed to form a new military alliance headed by “Abu AbdulRahman Nour,” to protect the city they control from the brutal assaults by the regime and its allies. The new alliance would be called the Aleppo Army and would be led by the commander of the Jabha Shamiya rebel faction, one of the major groups fighting in northern Syria under the Free Syrian Army. A commander at the Jabha Shamiya told Reuters that the new coalition will help in the centralization of the decision-taking process. The situation in Aleppo is escalating, with the regime forces seizing more than 40% of Eastern Aleppo, 15 days after the eruption of the massive assault to restore the second biggest city in Syria. The UN had said that Russia is working on setting up four humanitarian corridors to evacuate the wounded victims and provide medical and food supplies for the trapped civilians in East of Aleppo. The scene in Aleppo is tragic; dead bodies all around the neighborhoods that are controlled by the opposition after the assaults led by the regime. The majority have fled the city and those who chose to stay there, are living without the bare necessities. International reporters and journalists are all describing the situation in Aleppo as hopeless amid the constant attacks from the regime forces. Dec. 2, 2016
ISIS has been bombing regime-controlled areas of Deir Ezzor with rudimentary weaponized drones, the terrorist group’s first use of the tactic in Syria. On Friday morning, a drone operated by the jihadist group dropped explosive devices on the Al-Jaz, Al-Barid and Howeika district of the eastern Syrian city, according to an activist group. Al-Nateq did not elaborate on casualties or property destruction caused by the unusual bombing raid, the latest in a series of attacks conducted by ISIS using remotely-guided aircraft to drop explosives in Deir Ezzor. Only days before, the pro-opposition 7al.me reported that seven people were killed in a more wide scale bombing attack on Deir Ezzor that featured several drones, showing the tactic’s potential for destruction. Reports of ISIS weaponized drone attacks in the divided city began emerging in late October, however none of them have gone into details on the technical nature of the operations or what type of explosive is being used. In one of the first reports of the new style of ISIS raid, Euphrates Post on October 20 said that a “reconnaissance plane” owned by ISIS dropped explosives on the Joura neighborhood of the city, killing one person and injuring four others. Dec. 2, 2016
Headline: Pentagon: Mosul 20% captured, Islamic State in city’s east isolated
About 20 percent of Mosul has been captured from Islamic State control, while the city’s east has been completely isolated, U.S. military officials said in its latest update on fighting in the stronghold. Col. John Dorrian, U.S. spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve, told Fox News on Thursday he estimates Iraqi security forces have freed about 20 percent of Mosul during “very dangerous fighting.” Dorrian said he could not estimate when the Islamic State would be cleared from Iraq’s second-largest city, adding that it is “going to take some time … but ultimately the flag of Iraq is going to be raised in the center of the city.” “The Iraqi forces are working very hard to get this done … but they are up against a fanatical enemy,” Dorrian said. Iraqi security forces, aided by the Kurdish Peshmerga, Shiite militias and a U.S.-led international coalition, began a ground offensive on Oct. 17 to capture Mosul away from Islamic State control. “The Iraqi security forces have completely encircled the city,” Dorrian said, adding Islamic State militants “are largely going to be destroyed in place.” Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Defense, said Iraqi security forces are approaching the city from the east, southeast and the north. Iraqi forces have already entered Mosul, Davis said in a Defense Department statement published Thursday. Dec. 2, 2016
Headline: 3 Turkish Soldiers Killed Clashes in Kurdish Region
Three Turkish soldiers were killed Friday after clashing with Kurdish militants in the southeastern province of Hakkari, military sources said. The military launched an operation in the region, which borders Iraq, following the clashes, the sources said. The private Dogan news agency reported that several Kurdish militants had been “neutralized.” Turkey’s southeast has been rocked by violence following the collapse of a 2-1/2-year ceasefire between the state and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in July last year. The PKK has repeatedly targeted security forces since. Some 49 PKK militants were killed or captured in operations last week, the Interior Ministry said Monday, adding that 269 people suspected of aiding and financing the militant group had been detained. Dec. 2, 2016
Headline: Assad cannot remain in power: Turkish FM
Headline: Erdogan backtracks on comment about Turkey’s incursion to remove Assad
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu Friday said that Syrian President Bashar Assad cannot remain in power, speaking during a visit to Beirut. “Instead of prioritizing his own interests, he should consider the interests of the entire [Syrian] nation,” Cavusoglu said during a joint news conference with his Lebanese counterpart, caretaker FM Gebran Bassil. “Assad’s existence [in power] cannot fortify the unity of Syria,” he said. “A person responsible for the death of more than 600,000 of his people cannot remain in power.” The Turkish FM also called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Syria. “War in Aleppo is worrying,” he said. “A mutual understanding is necessary to declare a cease-fire.” He expressed support for any effective meetings between main players in the region, particularly between Russia and the U.S., to end hostilities in Syria. “We [the international community] should get together to facilitate a solution in Syria and reach a cease-fire through collective efforts,” he said. Dec. 2, 2016
Headline: Iran says extension of sanctions act by US Congress violates nuclear deal
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said on Friday that the US Senate’s vote to extend sanctions against the Islamic Republic for 10 years violated a historic nuclear deal reached between the country and six major powers in 2015. “The extension of sanctions by the US congress is a violation of the deal. We will report it to Iran’s committee, assigned for monitoring the implementation of the deal,” according to a statement by Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi read on television. Congress members and US officials said the renewal of the Iran Sanctions Act, which was passed unanimously on Thursday, would not violate the nuclear agreement, under which Iran curbed its nuclear-power program in return for lifting sanctions. Iran’s top authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned in November that an extension would breach the deal and threatened retaliation. “The American government is responsible of carrying out its international commitments … The US president has accepted to use its authority to prevent such measures,” Ghasemi said, according to the state news agency IRNA. Dec. 2, 2016
Headline: China suggests the construction of rail lines linking Afghanistan and Pakistan
Headline: Five Afghan army forces killed in Taliban attack in southern Kandahar
Headline: 23 civilians killed by militants in S. Afghanistan
China has proposed that a railway line be built linking the Pakistani city of Quetta to the Afghani capital of Kabul, as well as from the Pakistani city of Peshawar to Kabul, according to Afghan Presidential Palace. The proposal was made by the Chinese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Kong Xuanyou in a meeting with the Afghan President, Ashraf Ghani. Xuanyou emphasised the importance of Afghanistan to China’s New Silk Road. He recommended that Afghanistan, China, and Pakistan hold discussions to construct new economic corridors through construction of railway lines. Ghani said that his country wants to have strong relations with all of Afghanistan’s neighbors. Peshawar and Quetta have significant Pashtun communities who also make up the majority of ethnic people in Afghanistan. Dec. 2, 2016
Headline: In Sudan, austerity and protest as economy crumbles
Mohamed Yassin’s minimarket occupies a prime spot in Khartoum but its shelves are largely empty as a plummeting currency and slew of subsidy cuts pushes prices up and customers away. “Prices rise daily after the government decisions and what we sell, we can no longer completely replace because our capital is losing value,” 44-year-old Yassin told Reuters. “Sales have dropped significantly … We don’t know how long we can handle it. We’re afraid we’ll go out of business.” Inflation approaching 20 percent and government austerity have fueled growing discontent and rare protests in Sudan in recent weeks. Protests have so far been small but, mindful of popular anger that swept away several Arab autocrats in 2011, the government of President Omar Hassan al-Bashir has been quick to silence media criticism over its handling of the crisis. Sudan’s economic problems have been building since the south seceded in 2011, taking with it three-quarters of oil output, the main source of foreign currency and government income. Its revenues dwindling, the government began reducing fuel and power subsidies in 2013 and announced a new round of cuts in early November that saw petrol prices rise about 30 percent. Dec. 2, 2016
Headline: Armed groups clash in Tripoli in worst fighting for over a year
Rival armed factions battled overnight and into Friday in the worst outbreak of fighting in the Libyan capital Tripoli for more than a year. Black smoke rose into the sky and explosions reverberated around the Abu Salim and Hadba districts, and an eyewitness said a major road nearby had been blocked off with shipping containers. Gunfire echoed across several other neighbourhoods. Tripoli is controlled by an array of armed groups which sporadically clash over territorial control or economic interests. Some groups have quasi-official status, but no government has succeeded in taming their power since the uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi five years ago. The violence is the latest setback for the U.N.-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), which arrived in the capital in March with the acquiescence of some powerful armed factions but has struggled to assert its authority. Dec. 2, 2016
Headline: 2,000 veterans to give protesters a break at Standing Rock
Headline: Group protests Dakota Access Pipeline at Wells Fargo in downtown Billings
Thousands of U.S. veterans will descend this weekend on the site in North Dakota where Native Americans have been protesting the construction of a pipeline that would threaten water and their land. Some 2,000 veterans will join demonstrations against the Dakota Access Pipeline with the idea of giving a break to protesters who have engaged in the standoff for months. The veterans also want to call attention to the violent treatment that law enforcement has waged on the protesters, according to Veterans Stand for Standing Rock. “We want to offer them a moment of peace and, if we can, take a little bit of pressure off,” said Ashleigh Jennifer Parker, a Coast Guard veteran and spokeswoman for Veterans Stand for Standing Rock. Two-thousand veterans have signed up and the Oceti Sakowin protesters’ campsite cannot hold more veterans than that, but about 1,000 more have said they plan to come, Parker said. The veterans plan to set up on Dec. 4 and will stay at least through Dec. 7, she said. She later added that some would remain indefinitely at Standing Rock. “The militarized police paid for by tax dollars … is unconstitutional,” Parker said. “People are being brutalized; concussion grenades are being thrown into crowds,” Parker said. “They’re spraying people, even old women, and other elders of the tribe with tear gas and pepper spray and all of this is just unconstitutional. I can’t believe the media hasn’t taken more of an interest in this.” Dec. 2, 2016
Headline: Protesters outside Trump’s first thank you rally: ‘I will not stand for you’
Headline: Twitter Threatens Trump Ban Over “Harassment And Hateful Conduct”
While President-Elect Donald Trump hosted his first “thank you” tour rally since the election, chants of “love trumps hate,” echoed in the cold Cincinnati air Thursday night outside of the US Bank Arena. The cry was met by a man’s voice nearby, who responded, “That’s that not love! Why are you here?” There was a little tension between protestors and Trump supporters outside of the President-elect’s first such event post-victory, the beginning of several stops on a tour through the states his transition team sees as keys to his upset win last month. The colorful and at time incendiary rallies Trump hosted became signature stops throughout the Republican primary and the general election campaign, as were the consistent presence of comparatively small but vocal groups of protesters who demonstrated in and around his events. And on Thursday, they were back at it in Ohio. A small group of people gathered near the entrance for the Trump rally about an hour before the show started. Wielding a few bullhorns and carrying signs, they chanted about immigration rights, Hillary Clinton, and “fighting back.” Dec. 2, 2016
Headline: Daniel Ortega’s ‘dictatorial regime’ repressing protests, Nicaraguan groups say
Nicaraguan civil society organizations, consolidated in a movement called Blue and White, on Wednesday accused President Daniel Ortega‘s regime of repressing protesters. The organizations are protesting alleged electoral fraud in recent presidential elections in which Ortega won and also the planned construction of the Nicaragua Canal, which would connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, akin to the Panama Canal. The organizations will hold marches on Thursday in Managua, Nicaragua’s capital. “As it is known to the people of Nicaragua, from yesterday the forces of the National Police and the Nicaraguan Army, with unidentified auxiliary forces, have deployed a gigantic operation that has placed the country in a virtual state of siege,” the Blue and White organizations said in a joint statement on Wednesday. “Despite the police and government blockade, farmers’ caravans have already been successful. Thousands have left their homes and communities and although they are being blocked. They have uncovered the true face of Ortega’s repressive and dictatorial regime.” The organizations demand the Nicaraguan government “repeal the concession of the inter-oceanic canal and demand clean, honest, plural and observed elections.” Dec. 1, 2016
Headline: Indonesian police violently suppress West Papua independence protest
West Papuan protesters clashed with police in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta on Thursday as they made calls for the regions independence. Organizers claimed that police denied them permissions to protest. Papua Students Alliance made up the majority of protestors and they chanted “Freedom Papua” despite hundreds of police monitoring the demonstration in which they fired water cannons and dragged men from the crowd into waiting police vans. “Don’t hinder our right to voice our aspirations. Papuans are demanding the truth of our history,” a speaker standing atop a small truck shouted at the crowd. Indonesia commit gross human right abuses against the native Papuans who have seen their island resources looted and gross demographic changes occur from a Melanesian majority to predominantly Indonesian, specifically colonizers from Java. Voice of America explains the situation. Dec. 1, 2016
Headline: 2 US warships, 4k troops arrive in Mediterranean – Navy
Four-thousand US sailors and marines from the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) have arrived in the Mediterranean Sea after transiting the Suez Canal, according to a release from the US navy. The group, which is comprised of an amphibious assault ship, the USS Wasp (LHD 1), and an amphibious dock landing ship, the USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41), rejoined the operations of the US 6th Fleet Thursday, according to Wasp ARG commander Captain F. Byron Ogden. “After completing our time in 5th Fleet, the Wasp ARG will now be supporting the maritime security mission in the Mediterranean Sea. This sea lane is vital to our global economy, and it remains secure because of the strong relationships between the navies that operate together here,” Ogden said in the release. Dec. 2, 2016
Headline: Bye-Bye: U.S. Job Seekers Giving Up, Leaving the Workforce
More Americans are kissing the workforce goodbye – not because they’re financially secure but because they can’t find a job. A record 95 million people are sitting on the sidelines opting not to work. As a result, the labor participation rate is stuck at 62.7%, a 40-year low. “There are a certain percentage of people staying home,” said Dan North, economist at Euler Hermes, during an interview with FOXBusiness.com. “If benefits are great in some states, people will just stay home,” he noted. Those benefits may include welfare, food stamps and Medicare. “It’s not that people are lazy, they are just not stupid,” Michael Tanner, senior fellow at the Cato Institute, which advocates limited government, tells FOXBusiness.com. Tanner, who studies poverty issues, also notes the federal welfare system is very complex and has around 70 programs, making it more complicated to fix. States with generous freebies include Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey and California. Dec. 2, 2016
Headline: Putin mediates Riyadh-Tehran differences on slowing OPEC production
Headline: Putin ‘directly involved’ in OPEC reaching production cut deal
Russian President Vladimir Putin is reported by sources in Moscow, Riyadh and Tehran to have played a central role in achieving an accord Friday among OPEC members to cut oil production by 4.9 percent. The accord sent oil prices upward. Those sources describe Putin as personally intervening to resolve the differences between Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Alil Khamenei and Saudi defense minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Riyadh was persuaded to start cutting back on quantities, while the Iranians finally agreed to slow down their increased production. Dec. 2, 2016
Headline: In Cash-Short Venezuela, the ATM Hustle Is Driving People Mad- VIDEO
Domingris Montano did the calculations as she stood in the rain at the midpoint of a queue outside a bank in Caracas. She needed to buy groceries. A package of rice would cost 3,500 bolivars, more than half the daily withdrawal limit, and the automated teller machine might be empty by the time her turn came. Maybe she could hit a few more before dark? “I’ve had to go to six different ATMs just to get 6,000 bolivars,” said Montano, a 36-year-old hair stylist, poking her head out from under her umbrella to see if the people ahead of her at the Banesco Banco Universal CA branch were moving forward. They weren’t. Lines are nothing new in Venezuela, where the economy is shattered, inflation is soaring and the currency fell a staggering 67 percent against the U.S. dollar on the black market last month alone — making 6,000 bolivars worth just $1.30. Now added to the indignities of daily life in a country desperately short on most everything except crime is the ATM hustle, as banks crack down on what customers can take out, setting measly maximums. Dec. 2, 2016
Headline: Thick toxic smog clouds engulf London and Paris as health bosses issue pollution warnings to millions
A toxic smog cloud has engulfed London and Paris amid warnings of high pollution levels in the two capitals effecting millions of people. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan issued warnings for the first time at bus stops, Tube stations and roadsides in the capital because of what he described as “high pollution levels”. Meanwhile in Paris, a potentially more dangerous smog cloud has engulfed the city for two days. Health bosses in the two cities have said that anyone experiencing discomfort such as sore eyes, a cough or sore throat are advised to consider reducing their activity, particularly outdoors. The alert in London were issued at around 4.30pm on Thursday. Mr Khan said: “Londoners need to know when the city is suffering from high pollution levels so they can take any necessary appropriate measures to protect themselves from poor air quality. Dec. 1, 2016
Headline: Vatican Reports Surge in Exorcisms Worldwide
The Catholic Church reported a meteoric uptick in the number of demonic possessions its priests are encountering. To tackle the surge, the Vatican is offering what they call “a week-long course on how to perform exorcisms, expounding on the nature of angels and demons,” News Target reported. The course has attracted over 1,000 students and claims to educate them on the difference between genuine demonic possession and psychological disorder. Symptoms of possession, according to the guidelines of the course, include: speaking in languages the person was not previously familiar with, moving objects with the mind, and dramatic mood shifts that cannot be attributed to psychological causes. The Real Truth looks at such activity through a biblical lens. While this publication does not endorse the views of professing Christianity, it is clear that spiritism is on the rise. To find out the trends, history and true reasons from the Bible regarding the rise of demonic activity, read The Real Truth article “Demystifying the Spirit Realm.” Dec. 1, 2016
Headline: Jakarta protests: Muslims turn out in force against Christian governor Ahok
A crowd of at least 200,000 Muslim protesters has descended on Jakarta to demand the Christian governor of the Indonesian capital be arrested for insulting Islam. There was heavy security at the rally on Friday with authorities wary of the kind of violence that marred a similar demonstration in November. People headed towards a huge park in downtown Jakarta to protest against Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, known by his nickname Ahok, who has become the target of widespread anger in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country. Waving banners that read “Jail Ahok, the law must be fair”, demonstrators dressed in white Islamic skullcaps and robes marched through the streets. Many had travelled from outside the capital to take part. “All we want is justice, and by justice I mean Ahok being detained,” said Ricky Subagia, 26, who had come 200km (120 miles) from the town of Garut. President Joko Widodo, who is a political ally of Ahok, unexpectedly went to the national monument to join Friday prayers with the sprawling crowd. He called for protesters to disperse peacefully. They cheered and then broke into chants calling for Ahok’s arrest. Dec. 2, 2016
Headline: San Bernardino: Pastor Arrested for offering Prayer
Last month, Father James Linton was arrested outside the San Bernardino Planned Parenthood for offering to pray with women entering the abortion facility. Police held him for six hours and cited him for interfering with and obstructing access to a business. On November 2, the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office formally charged Linton, accusing him of violating Penal Code section 602.1 (a) (Interference with a Business). If convicted, Fr. Linton could be sentenced to up to 90 days in jail and a $400 fine. When he was arrested, Fr. Linton, an Anglican pastor, was standing on a public easement offering incoming mothers and fathers alternatives to abortion and praying for them to change their minds. “The arrest of Fr. Linton is outrageous,” stated Allison Aranda, Senior Staff Counsel for the Life Legal Defense Foundation and a former prosecutor for Riverside County. “Fr. Linton certainly did not intend to interfere with Planned Parenthood’s ability to conduct its business. Rather, he simply offered assistance and alternatives to its patrons that could save the lives of their precious babies.” Dec. 1, 2016
Headline: Albania: Europe’s outdoor cannabis capital
Albania has become the largest producer of outdoor-grown cannabis in Europe. The potent plant has been described as “green gold” for struggling farmers. In a poor nation, it’s a billion-euro industry. Off a dirt road, in a small village north of Tirana, there’s a half-built, tumble-down, brick house. It stands alone and looks abandoned. It isn’t. The sweet, heady odor that seeps from one of the rooms reveals its current function: cannabis production. Inside, more than half the floor space is covered with buds of the drying drug. “There’s about 20kg here,” says the man who owns it. He is young – late 20s maybe – dressed in skinny jeans, a tight top and trainers. And he is one of thousands making money from the cannabis boom. Dec. 1, 2016
Headline: Tornado Outbreaks Are More Common — But We Don’t Know Why
The most dangerous tornadoes are the ones that touch down one after the other. Most tornado deaths in the U.S. happen when six or more tornadoes affect a relatively small area — and new research shows these outbreaks are getting more severe. We’ve seen that the frequency of these outbreaks is rising faster than expected. The chances of seeing a string of tornadoes has more than doubled in the past 50 years. And it’s not that we’re just seeing more of them thanks to smartphones and social media. While it’s true that tornadoes are now more likely to be spotted and reported than ever, the researchers adjusted for this phenomenon and the counts still increased. And we’re still not sure why. The increase doesn’t seem to be driven by climate change. The warming planet has more energy available in the atmosphere to whip up fierce storms, but the models show this isn’t associated with the frequency of the outbreaks. Researchers think it could be long-term cycles in ocean temperatures instead. We know these natural changes can influence everything from glacier mass in the Swiss Alps, to the frequency of hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean, to U.S. droughts. Dec. 1, 2016
All earthquakes are instantly posted to the ETRM Facebook page- you do not need to sign up; click the photo below to see the earthquake album ***beginning November 29, 2016, earthquakes of a 5.0 magnitude and higher will be posted
~click the photo to see ALL the maps of the large earthquakes for the current year~
Headline: What’s shaking? List & map of USGS Earthquakes~Click the shaking house~
Bible prophecy documentary book download proving our generation will see the return of the Lord. Do you want to know what is going to happen in the future before it actually takes place? The Word of God provides you with specific details about our future and all of these things are coming to pass in this generation. If you aren’t saved yet this is a must read! The Last Chronicles of Planet Earth Nov. 23, 2016 Edition written by Frank DiMora
~Please be sure to CLICK on the photos~
Headline: 30 Years to Fully Recover From Israel Fires
Israeli experts lamented that it could take as much as 30 years to fully recover from the wave of fires that ravaged the country over the past two weeks. While hundreds of homes were damaged or destroyed by the flames (mostly in the Haifa and Jerusalem areas) huge tracts of forests, including entire nature reserves, were decimated. Current estimates are that well over 35,000 acres of forest were destroyed, and much of the wildlife living there was killed. “While some of the foxes and hyenas and other animals managed to flee the fires, others were not so lucky. Snakes and turtles for example, did not survive,” Uri Naveh, head of the Nature and Parks Authority Jerusalem District, told Israel’s Ynet news portal. Nov. 29, 2016
Headline: Israel president decries bill to quieten mosques
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin spoke out on Tuesday against a controversial bill that would prohibit mosques from using loudspeakers to summon believers to prayers early in the morning. The draft law, which sparked outrage around the Arab and wider Muslim world, is set to be submitted for its preliminary reading in parliament on Wednesday. Its original form was amended last week in order not to affect the sirens that announce the start of the Jewish day of rest at sundown each Friday. Rivlin on Tuesday hosted in his Jerusalem residence a meeting of religious leaders “seeking to bridge gaps over the issue of the muezzins”, the Muslim lay officials charged with calling the faithful to prayer, a statement from his office read. “I thought that perhaps such a meeting could have an impact on the whole public, and that it would be a shame that a law should be born which touches on the issue of freedom of faith of a specific group among us,” he was quoted as telling participants. Rivlin, whose post is mainly ceremonial, considers the new legislation – supported by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – unnecessary. Nov. 30, 2016
Headline: Abbas reelected party leader as Fateh opens rare congress
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas reelected as Fateh Party leader Tuesday as the movement opened its first congress since 2009 with talk mounting of who will eventually succeed the 81-year-old. Abbas was reelected by consensus, party spokesman Mahmoud Abu Al Hija said. The election of members of Fateh’s parliament and its central committee over the five-day conference will signal the direction the oldest Palestinian party will take at a time when Abbas is weakened by his own unpopularity and internal dissent. While the ageing leader has said he has no intention of stepping aside anytime soon, talk of who will eventually succeed him as Palestinian president has intensified. He has not publicly designated a successor. Nov. 30, 2016
Headline: Jimmy Carter: America Must Recognize Palestine
Headline: UN General Assembly president wears Palestinian flag scarf
Headline: UN chief: Israeli-Palestinian peace prospects under threat
Headline: Palestinian leader seeks Trump support for independence
We do not yet know the policy of the next administration toward Israel and Palestine, but we do know the policy of this administration. It has been President Obama’s aim to support a negotiated end to the conflict based on two states, living side by side in peace. That prospect is now in grave doubt. I am convinced that the United States can still shape the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict before a change in presidents, but time is very short. The simple but vital step this administration must take before its term expires on Jan. 20 is to grant American diplomatic recognition to the state of Palestine, as 137 countries have already done, and help it achieve full United Nations membership. Back in 1978, during my administration, Israel’s prime minister, Menachem Begin, and Egypt’s president, Anwar Sadat, signed the Camp David Accords. That agreement was based on the United Nations Security Council Resolution 242, which was passed in the aftermath of the 1967 war. The key words of that resolution were “the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war and the need to work for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East in which every state in the area can live in security,” and the “withdrawal of Israel armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict.” Nov. 30, 2016
Headline: Erdogan calls on Muslims to ‘protect Jerusalem’
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday called on all Muslims to “defend the Palestinian cause” and protect Jerusalem. Speaking in Istanbul at a parliamentary symposium on Jerusalem and quoted by Al Jazeera, Erdogan said “it is the common duty of all Muslims to embrace the Palestinian cause and protect Jerusalem”, adding that safeguarding the Al-Aqsa Mosque should not be left to children armed with nothing but stones. He accused Israel of “policies of repression and discrimination against our Palestinian brothers” and condemned the so-called Israeli “Muezzin Law”, which would prohibit houses of worship from using loudspeakers, specifically mosques, which disturb the sleep of nearby residents when the Muezzin calls worshipers to prayer in the early hours of the morning. Erdogan criticized the bill as “irrational” and “conscienceless”, reiterating criticism voiced about the law last week by Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister. He also underscored the need for a “two-state solution” to solve the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA). “The only way for permanent peace in the Middle East is a free and independent Palestinian state with a capital in East Jerusalem,” said Erdogan, according to Al Jazeera. ***see also Turkey below
Headline: Israel plots largest settlement expansion in occupied Syrian Golan since 1980
Arab Human Rights Center in the Golan announced in a press release that it has written to the European Union, European governments and the Permanent Members of the UN Security Council regarding Israel’s plans to expand Katrzin settlement and establish ‘Hermon National Park’ in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. The Israeli Finance Ministry approved plans to build 1,600 additional settlement units in Katzrin in October. About 8,000 settlers live in Katzrin atop the destroyed Syrian villages of Qasrin, Shqef and Sanawber. It is the largest settlement in the occupied Syrian Golan. “This will be the largest expansion of an illegal Israeli settlement in the Occupied Syrian Golan since the 1980s,” a letter from Al-Marsad to the Delegation of the European Union to Israel reads. Nov. 29, 2016
Headline: Israeli warplanes launch 2 rockets across Syrian border that strike near Damascus
Headline: Israel jets mark go-it-alone policy on Syria
Syrian state media said Israeli fighter jets fired two missiles that hit west of Damascus, causing no casualties. Earlier reports indicated the missiles had hit Hezbollah militia targets near Al-Saboorah, a government-controlled suburb of Syria’s capital. Israeli planes launched the airstrike from Lebanese airspace at dawn to “divert attention away from the successes of the Syrian Arab Army,” a Syrian military source said, according to SANA news agency. Al-Masdar news agency reported earlier that the Israeli Air Force had launched four air-to-surface Popeye missiles targeting Hezbollah positions. The jets themselves are not believed to have entered Syrian airspace. Pro-#Hezbollah outlet: Two #Israeli raids targeted arms cache belonging to 4th Division as well as arms convoy on Damascus-Beirut highway pic.twitter.com/CMjlgVexOp — Albin Szakola (@AlbinSzakola) 30 ноября 2016 г. There have been conflicting reports over the initial target of the raid with speculations swirling over what targets were actually hit during the sorties. Lebanomn’s Mulhak News reported citing own sources that Syria’s army ammunition depot was destroyed in one of the raids, while in the other a number of cars left near to the Damascus-Beirut Highway were damaged. The outlet stated that no senior security or political commanders have been killed in the attack. Nov. 30, 2016
Headline: Hezbollah to play lead role in new Syria regime force: report
Hezbollah will play a leading role overseeing a recently-formed corps set to serve as an auxiliary fighting force for the Syrian regime, according to a Lebanese daily supportive of Damascus. As-Safirreported Monday that top Hezbollah commanders known for their “high leadership quality” will embed with the Fifth Corps, which was formed last week by the Syrian regime. “It is expected that some Hezbollah military leaders will have a major role in leading some of the fighting groups that will join the Fifth Corps,” the pro-Assad Lebanese daily claimed. It went on to say that “a new force of elite troops within Hezbollah” will either operate under the banner of the Fifth Corps or directly coordinate with the new unit, without going into further details on the matter. Officially dubbed a “storming force” by Syria’s army command, the Fifth Corps publicly stated mission is to “work alongside the Syrian army and allied troops” to “eradicate terrorism.” Syrian state media has broadcast calls for volunteers to join the new unit, prompting reports in some opposition outlets that the Fifth Corps is another regime attempt to bolster its fighting manpower. Nov. 30, 2016
Headline: Yemen president accuses rebels of dashing peace hopes
Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi on Tuesday accused Shiite rebels and their allies of dashing hopes for peace after they unveiled a new government in areas under their control. Hadi said Monday’s formation by the Iran-backed rebels of a government of national salvation showed their determination to “spread chaos and destruction” and “destroys any chance of dialogue and peace”. Speaking through a spokesman from Yemen’s second city Aden, the seat of his beleaguered government, Hadi called on the international community to “condemn this move and hold the militia responsible for the collapse of peace efforts”. Announcing their new government, the Houthi rebels said it was a response to Hadi’s “stubbornness” in pursuing a deadly war against them with the support of a Saudi-led coalition since March last year. The war of words comes as the UN envoy for Yemen shuttles between the two sides in an effort to revive a US-backed ceasefire that collapsed after just 48 hours early last week. Nov. 30, 2016
Headline: Moscow demands answers after Erdogan vows to oust ‘tyrant’ Assad
Headline: Erdogan and Putin discuss Aleppo
The Kremlin on Wednesday demanded an explanation after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara intervened in the Syria conflict solely to topple President Bashar Assad. Turkish forces are pressing on with a three-month operation inside Syria in support of anti-Assad forces, while Russia is the chief ally of the Syrian president in the conflict that has claimed more than 300,000 lives since 2011.At the same time, Turkey and Russia have also been working hard to improve relations after clinching a reconciliation deal in June to repair ties brought to a historic low by Turkey’s shooting down of a Russian jet in November 2015. Erdogan had said at a meeting in Istanbul on Tuesday: “We went in there to put an end to the rule of the tyrant Assad who carries out state terror, not for anything else.” Nov. 30, 2016
Headline: Syrian military source says army, allies take south Aleppo area
Headline: Al-Qaeda reinforcements arrive on western outskirts of Aleppo for new assaults
A Syrian military source said government troops and allied forces took back full countrol of the Sheikh Saeed district in southeast Aleppo from rebels on Wednesday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitoring group, said that rebel groups still controlled a third of the district, however, while government forces and allied forces seized the rest of it. Meanwhile, According to information obtained by Al-Masdar News, hundreds of Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (Al-Qaeda affiliate) fighters arrived from Idlib to the western Aleppo countryside on Wednesday. Syrian reconnaissance units and drones have observed extensive Islamist military build-up in the region, causing government troops to stiffen their defences of the city. Effectively, Jaysh al-Fateh (Army of Conquest/Islamist coalition) is expected to launch renewed attacks on the densely populated government-held suburbs of western Aleppo in the coming days in a last-ditch effort to relieve besieged insurgents in eastern Aleppo. Meanwhile, the Russian Air Force will likely increase its sorties over western Aleppo in an attempt to disrupt the upcoming jihadist offensive and reduce its initial impact. Nov. 30, 2016
Headline: US says that strikes against Syrian Army in Deir Ezzor were ‘unintentional’
The US Defense Department has said that it’s strikes against the Syrian Army in Deir Ezzor that killed over 80 soldiers in mid-Septemer was an “unintentional error” and did not violate international law. The Pentagon made the claims in a statement on Tuesday, saying that the US-led coalition had launched the air raids based on wrong intelligence and as it was not a deliberate mistake, it would not constitute a breach of law. “The evidence showed there was not a deliberate disregard of targeting procedures or the rules of engagement,” the statement said. The statement then went onto defend the legality of the deadly airstrikes. “The decision to strike these targets was made in accordance with the law of armed conflict and the applicable rules of engagement,” the statement continued. “We made an unintentional, regrettable error, based on several factors in the targeting process,” said Richard Coe, US air force brigadier general and the investigating officer. Nov. 30, 2016
Headline: Anticipating Iraq’s Next Sunni Insurgency
Iraq could face another Sunni insurgency after ISIS loses control of Mosul. The U.S.-led Operation Inherent Resolve has not resolved the political conditions that originally caused Sunni Arabs to mobilize in a non-violent protest movement in 2012-2013. Sunni Arabs in Iraq who are liberated from ISIS’s control will not necessarily be reconciled to the Iraqi Government. The success of anti-ISIS operations in 2016 will open space for other Sunni anti-government actors and armed groups to resurge in ISIS’s absence. Sunni Arabs are displaced in large numbers, which will grow as the Coalition seizes and secures Mosul. Iranian-backed Shi’a militias will exacerbate grievances as they move to clear Sunni-majority villages in northern Iraq and near Tel Afar, a historic stronghold of Sunni insurgents and al Qaeda in Iraq west of Mosul. Shi’a militias have alienated local Sunni Arab populations in other cities cleared of ISIS by conducting extrajudicial killings, ethnic cleansing, and other forms of violence against the local population. A permissive environment is emerging for a Sunni insurgency in the vacuum of control left by ISIS, into which other actors, including al Qaeda, could emerge in 2017. Nov. 30, 2016
Headline: Iraq’s special forces control 19 Mosul neighborhoods
Iraqi special forces fighting ISIS militants on the eastern side of Mosul have retaken 19 neighborhoods from the extremist group since the battle for the city began last month, a senior Iraqi commander said on Wednesday. Brig. Gen. Haider Fadhil of the special forces told The Associated Press his men were now about four kilometers from the Tigris river, which slices the city in half. He said the 19 neighborhoods constituted less than 30 percent of the part of the city east of the Tigris. Nov. 30, 2016
Headline: Erdogan questions legitimacy of Cyprus Flag
The Greek Foreign Ministry has denounced recent statements by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who angrily detested the legitimacy of the Cypriot flag that displays the whole island. “Without shame they go to the EU meetings with a flag that depicts the whole island. You cannot have such a flag. You are the Greek Cypriot administration of Southern Cyprus. To the north is the Turkish republic. That’s rude. In any case, they will understand this”, Erdogan was quoted as saying. The Spokesman of the Foreign Ministry, Stratos Efthimiou, said that Turkey attempting to make Cyprus the aggressor is “groundless”. “Once again, the Turkish leadership is trying to equate the aggressor with the victim by making historically groundless and arbitrary arguments that attempt to erase Turkey’s responsibilities as an occupying power,” Efthimiou told Greek media. Turkey continues to occupy the northern half of the island with over 30,000 soldiers since the Turkish invasion in 1974. The northern half of the island is recognized only by Turkey as an independent republic. Nov. 30, 2016
Headline: Russia gets permission to use Iran’s Hamadan air base for Syria airstrikes
Headline: The Iranian Empire is back
Russia is considering using Iran’s Hamadan airbase to launch airstrikes on insurgents in Syria if its aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, leaves Syria’s coastline on the Mediterranean for a new mission, Russian and Iranian officials said. “The necessity to use the airfield of the airbase in Hamadan could emerge if Admiral Kuznetsov carries out another operation and [Russia] will not be able to use it for airstrikes against terrorists in Syria,” Viktor Ozerov on Saturday told RIA Novosti,, Russia’s state-operated international news agency. Earlier in the day, Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan said that Iran might allow Russia to use Hamadan in its air operation against militants in Syria. Hossein Sheikholeslam, an adviser to Iran’s foreign minister, repeated the offer Tuesday, saying: “If the situation demands it, like it did in August, we’re ready to allow Russian warplanes to take off and refuel at this airfield.” Iran allowed Russia to operate from the base in mid-August. The jets returned to Russia after completing their anti-terror mission one week later. Meanwhile, For the first time since 625 CE, Iran has restored its control over a contiguous territory that extends from the east of Afghanistan to the Mediterranean coast. With the complete collapse of the Syrian armed opposition expected before the end of this year, Tehran would have subdued the three Arab countries that are sandwiched between its Western border and the Mediterranean. The dream of the founder of the Islamic Republic and its first Supreme Guide Ruhollah Khomeini will be finally recognized. Nov. 30, 2016
Headline: China dismisses report of military patrols in Afghanistan
China’s Defence Ministry on Wednesday dismissed reports Chinese military vehicles were patrolling inside Afghanistan, after an Indian media outlet said Chinese security forces were making regular patrols there. India’s WION news outlet this month published pictures on its website showing what it said were likely Chinese security forces patrolling in Afghanistan’s far northeastern Little Pamir region, where the country shares a border with China. Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun dismissed the report. “Reports in foreign media of Chinese military vehicles patrolling inside Afghanistan do not accord with the facts,” he told a regular news briefing. Yang said China and Afghanistan did work together in some places to fight terrorist activity and cross-border crime. “In recent years, law enforcement bodies from China and Afghanistan, in accordance with a bilateral cooperation decision on strengthening border law enforcement, arranged to have joint law enforcement operations in border regions,” Yang added. He did not elaborate. Nov. 30, 2016
Headline: US, UN Warn of Intensified Violence in South Sudan
Headline: US Envoy: South Sudan Government Prepares Attack in Border State
United States and United Nations representatives warned in separate meetings Wednesday of escalated tension and potential violence in South Sudan. “We have credible information that the South Sudanese government is currently targeting civilians in Central Equatoria and preparing for large-scale attacks in the coming days or weeks,” Keith Harper, the U.S. representative at the U.N. Human Rights Council, said in Geneva. The claim was quickly rejected by his South Sudanese counterpart, and South Sudan ambassador Kuol Alor Kuol Arop denied any build-up of forces or plans for an offensive in an interview with the Associated Press. In Juba on Wednesday, U.N. human rights experts warned of “unprecedented” levels of violence and ethnic tension across the war-torn country. “Many expect intensified fighting now that the dry season is setting in,” said Yasmin Sooka of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, following a fact-finding mission. Nov. 30, 2016
Headline: Morocco accuses African Union chief of obstructing readmission
Morocco accused African Union Commission head Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma of blocking its efforts to rejoin the organization it left 32 years ago, the country’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday. Morocco has asked the African Union (AU) to readmit it, as it seeks support for its plan to offer autonomy to the disputed territory of Western Sahara while keeping it under Moroccan sovereignty. Morocco abandoned its seat in 1984 when the AU recognized Western Sahara, a sparsely populated stretch of desert that was formerly a Spanish protectorate, and admitted it as a member. The ministry said Dlamini-Zuma had delayed the distribution of the Moroccan request to AU members without any apparent reason, and then invented a new procedural requirement to reject letters from AU members supporting Morocco’s demand. “The kingdom of Morocco denounces vigorously the maneuvers of African Union Commission head, who is trying to thwart Morocco’s decision to regain its natural and legitimate place in the pan-African institutional family,” the foreign ministry said in a statement carried by state news agency MAP. “The president of the AU commission is dropping her neutrality and failing the rules and standards of the organization and its members’ will,” the statement added. Nov. 30, 2016
Headline: ISIS claims responsibility for Ohio attack
The ISIS news agency, Amaq, has said in a statement on Tuesday that the attacker in Ohio State University who was responsible for the injury of nearly a dozen people, was inspired by the terrorist groups call to target citizens of countries part of the US-led coalition against it. The attack took place a day earlier when a Somali man, The Somali man identified as Abdul Razak Ali Artan, violently drove his car through people before exiting the vehicle and beginning his stabbing rampage. ISIS described the attacker as a “soldier” of the terrorist group. “Brother Abdul Razak Ali Artan, God accept him, implementer of the Ohio attack, a student in his third year in university,” the group noted. Nov. 30, 2016
Headline: Albanian PM warns Islamists may seek to undermine Europe via Balkans
Albania’s PM has warned that Islamists – and Moscow – may seek to grow their influence in the Balkans. Rama said Albania would continue to seek EU accession as a way of combating this, but was not hopeful of quick entry. “If we want to have a secure and stable European Union and with it a secure Europe, it’s not good if there are holes,” Edi Rama told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper in comments published on Wednesday. “It’s not about how long we still need, it’s about how the European Union will continue to develop. In the meantime, we are politically in fairly good form, but the European Union is not at present,” he said. The Muslims of southeastern Europe are one of the world’s more moderate Islamic populations, although it is estimated that five to ten percent have become indoctrinated in more extreme forms of Islam, often funded by Middle Eastern donors. The region has also been a transit zone for migrants making their way to Europe from the Middle East. “Our European integration remains a major task,” Rama said at a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel this week in Berlin. Merkel in turn said Albania had “undertaken huge reforms” and that Germany had always supported its EU endeavors. Nov. 30, 2016
Headline: North Dakota backs away from checking cars headed to pipeline protest
Headline: Standing Rock is the first of many protests to come in the Trump era
Headline: Standing Rock Demonstrators File Class-Action Lawsuit Over Police Violence
North Dakota law enforcement will not make spot checks on vehicles headed to the camp where activists are protesting a pipeline project near a Native American reservation, the governor’s office said on Wednesday. The move suggests the state will not seek to actively enforce Monday’s emergency order to evacuate the camp issued by Governor Jack Dalrymple, who cited a coming blizzard. Local law enforcement officials had said on Tuesday they planned a blockade of the camp – but they and state officials later retreated from that stance to say they would only check vehicles for certain prohibited supplies like propane, and potentially issue fines. “The governor has said there will be no checkpoints, no stopping of vehicles,” said Jeff Zent, a spokesman for Republican Dalrymple. Activists have spent months protesting plans to route the $3.8 billion Dakota Access Pipeline beneath a lake near the Standing Rock Sioux reservation, saying the project poses a threat to water resources and sacred Native American sites. Nov. 30, 2016
Headline: Flag Burning At Trump Tower: Donald Trump Protests Test First Amendment
It didn’t take long for protestors to respond to President-elect Donald Trump’s tweet calling for punishment for those who burn the American flag. A video posted Tuesday (shown above) shows members of the left-wing NYC Revolution club dousing two small U.S. flags in accelerant and igniting them in front of Trump Tower in New York. The angry display was in response to Trump’s tweet early Tuesday, which said that flag burners could face one year in jail or lose their citizenship. Burning the American flag, which is considered “symbolic speech,” is technically protected under the First Amendment. Nov. 30, 2016
Headline: Trans Mountain pipeline approval prompts anger, promises to protest in B.C.
The federal cabinet’s decision to approve Kinder Morgan Canada’s Trans Mountain pipeline expansion has prompted a flood of outrage and promises of protests and court challenges in British Columbia. Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson said he was “profoundly disappointed,” calling the decision a “big step backwards” for Canada’s environment and economy. “I — along with the tens of thousands of residents, local First Nations, and other Metro Vancouver cities who told the federal government a resounding ‘no’ to this project — will keep speaking out against this pipeline expansion that doesn’t make sense for our economic or environmental future.” The $6.8-billion project would triple the capacity of the Trans Mountain pipeline, from 300,000 to 890,000 barrels a day, and would add 980 kilometres of new pipe along the route from near Edmonton to Burnaby, B.C. It would also increase the number of tankers leaving Vancouver-area waters seven-fold, from five to 34 per month, prompting fierce opposition from local mayors and First Nations who say any risk of a diluted-bitumen spill is unacceptable. Nov. 29, 2016
Headline: Zimbabwe Police Use Tear Gas on Bond Note Protesters
Zimbabwe police used water cannons and tear gas Wednesday to disperse demonstrators in the capital, Harare, who were protesting the country’s new currency. The government says the bond notes are aimed at easing cash shortages, but economists warn that the notes will quickly lose value and unleash hyperinflation. Police refused to comment on tactics used against the crowd, but activist Maureen Kademaunga says Zimbabweans will not be silenced. “The economy is not going to change because people have been clamped down or harassed,” Kademaunga said. “… at some point again people will still start to say, ‘Enough is enough. We are sick and tired of being sick and tired.’ So we are going to go back to the July-era where Evan was leading as the voice of discontent.” Nov. 30, 2016
Headline: Philippines ends five-day siege against Daesh-linked rebels
Troops in the southern Philippines retook a disused building from Daesh-linked militants on Wednesday, ending an intense five-day siege that killed dozens of militants. The incident highlights the challenges facing President Rodrigo Duterte in keeping order in the Philippines, particularly in his native south, riven by nationalist rebellions for decades. The military stepped up its offensive after the weekend, pounding rebels holed up in a disused municipal hall with artillery and bombs dropped from aircraft. The army said 30 security forces were wounded and 61 militants killed in the operation. The militants belonged to the Maute group, one of several rebel groups in the country’s restive south. Nov. 30, 2016
Headline: Russia threatens to shoot down missiles test-fired by Ukraine
Russia’s air defense network on the Ukrainian border was placed on its highest level of alert on Wednesday evening following Ukraine’s announcement that it will conduct missile tests on Thursday and Friday near Crimea, an area that Russia annexed in 2014. Kiev claimed that the missiles are to be launched towards the Black Sea, west of Crimea. Russia’s TASS news agency quoted official Russian sources as saying the tests are an unnecessary provocation, and that the Russian military views them as a serious threat and will respond with the 55,000 troops based in Crimea and with ships equipped with means to shoot down the missiles. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova called the tests a “provocation designed to prompt a tough response”. Nov. 30, 2016
Headline: Over a quarter of Europeans think sex without consent is justifiable – poll
A Eurobarometer survey has shown alarming tendencies in attitudes towards sex without consent, with about 27 percent of respondents across the EU saying sex without consent is justifiable. Most respondents cite reasons like being drunk or on drugs (12 percent), agreeing to go home with someone (11 percent), wearing revealing clothes, or not clearly saying no or physically fighting back (both 10 percent). Sorted by country, those surveyed in Romania and Hungary tended to be the most likely to say each situation could justify sex without consent, while respondents in Sweden and Spain were among the least likely to say so. Moreover, more than 40 percent of respondents in the EU believe that harassing women in the street by making sexually offensive jokes should not be illegal, with nine percent in Slovenia and eight percent each in Austria, Germany, and Lithuania saying it is not even wrong. The survey also asked the respondents about harassment at work: for instance, “touching a colleague in an inappropriate way” should not be illegal, think 48 percent of Hungarians, 42 percent of Estonians, and 38 percent of Lithuanians. Most respondents also think that sexual harassment against women is either very common (20 percent) or fairly common (half of all respondents). The location where violent acts occur is most often home, over 85 percent of respondents said, while 19 percent said public places, and another 19 percent said harassment happens most often online. Perhaps even more alarming is the way many respondents expressed their attitude towards violence against women, with almost a quarter saying that women often make up or exaggerate claims of abuse, and 17 percent saying that it is women who provoke violence. Nov. 30, 2016
Headline: 5 people killed, 3 children injured after possible tornadoes sweep through the Deep South
At least five people were killed while three children at a daycare center were injured after powerful thunderstorms and possible tornadoes swept through the South overnight and into Wednesday morning, officials said. Jackson County Chief Deputy Rocky Harnen said early Wednesday that three people living in a mobile home in the northeastern community of Rosalie, Alabama were killed. Another person in the home was critically injured, he added. Emergency officials in Tennessee said two more people were killed and at least nine others injured in severe weather that hit the state overnight. Tennessee Emergency Management Agency spokesman Dean Flener says a husband and wife died and two others were injured in Polk County. He said at least seven injuries were reported in nearby McMinn County. He didn’t have further details on what happened. Nov. 30, 2016
Headline: Heavy rain, floods in Saudi Arabia leave seven dead
At least seven people died and many others were injured or trapped by heavy rain and floods that swept various regions of Saudi Arabia, press reports said on Tuesday. The dead included three young Saudi men in Bisha, two others in Baha and two expatriates who were struck by a thunderbolt in Qunfudah. Torrential floods also destroyed a number of houses, blocked roads and overturned vehicles. The rain and floods in the last few days uncovered the ineffective drainage systems in many parts of the country. The two expatriates were killed by a thunderbolt, which also injured two of their companions in Qunfudah governorate in Makkah province. Civil Defense teams rushed the victims to hospital. The rain inundated various parts of Qunfudah governorate and washed away large sections of the International Road linking Jeddah and Jazan. Heavy rain lashed Bisha for more than three hours. Three people were killed and two others injured in a traffic accident in the city. The rain flooded Wadi Houran, in the southwest of the governorate, causing cracks in the road leading to Arar in the north of the Kingdom. The rain also caused a number of cars to overturn or skid off roads. Nov. 30, 2016
Headline: The Man Who Stands Between Earth and Asteroid Armageddon
Because every day could be “asteroid day” for NASA’s planetary defense officer- an interview: You recently conducted a third wargame-like exercise with other agencies about an incoming asteroid. In this scenario was we found this asteroid that had the potential to impact the Earth in four years. It takes some time to observe the asteroid and reduce the uncertainties in its orbit, so we really understand where it’s going to be relative to the Earth four years later. At a point in the exercise we determine the probability is 100 percent that we’re going to have an impact. It’s only in the last several days or weeks prior to impact that we can really narrow it down to a 10-kilometer area. What do we do if you really find one? We’re working on a couple of different projects to test and demonstrate what we think are viable capabilities to do that. The first we talk about is part of our asteroid redirect mission. A second project we have going is in collaboration with the European Space Agency, and that’s a project called the Asteroid Impact Deflection Assessment. Do asteroids ever get mentioned in the Presidential Daily Briefing? I don’t know that for a fact. In 2008 we discovered a very small object a few meters in size that was going to impact us the next day. It was discovered and predicted to impact in the Sudan desert. And so we here at NASA generated a notification of that, which was sent up to the White House. We know that it was brought to their attention because George W. Bush’s press secretary, in the log of her White House years, talks about it as being one of the strangest days she had at the White House. Nov. 30, 2016
All earthquakes are instantly posted to the ETRM Facebook page- you do not need to sign up; click the photo below to see the earthquake album ***beginning November 29, 2016, earthquakes of a 5.0 magnitude and higher will be posted
~click the photo to see ALL the maps of the large earthquakes for the current year~
Headline: What’s shaking? List & map of USGS Earthquakes~Click the shaking house~
Bible prophecy documentary book download proving our generation will see the return of the Lord. Do you want to know what is going to happen in the future before it actually takes place? The Word of God provides you with specific details about our future and all of these things are coming to pass in this generation. If you aren’t saved yet this is a must read! The Last Chronicles of Planet Earth Nov. 23, 2016 Edition written by Frank Dimora
Bible prophecy documentary book download proving our generation will see the return of the Lord. Do you want to know what is going to happen in the future before it actually takes place? The Word of God provides you with specific details about our future and all of these things are coming to pass in this generation. If you aren’t saved yet this is a must read! The Last Chronicles of Planet Earth Nov. 23, 2016 Edition written by Frank DiMora
~Please be sure to CLICK on the photos~
Headline: Hamas leader threatens Tel Aviv
Mushir al-Masri, a Hamas lawmaker and one of the leaders of the terrorist group, announced on Saturday that Hamas has thousands of rockets capable of striking Tel Aviv and localities to the north of Tel Aviv. Speaking at a rally held by Hamas in Gaza, Masri claimed that “any future war of the occupation against the Izz al-Din al-Qassam military wing of Hamas will result in the shelling of Tel Aviv and north of it.” He further declared that Gaza “is a thorn in the throat of the Zionist dream to establish a Greater Israel stretching from the Nile to the Euphrates” and claimed that Israel does not know which types of weapons Hamas is hiding. Masri also said that “the occupation has crossed all the red lines, and the last one preventing the sound of the call to prayer in mosques in Jerusalem and in the internal occupied territory,” a reference to the “Muezzin Law”, which would prohibit mosques from using loudspeakers for the call to prayer which disturbs the sleep of Israelis in the early hours of the morning. “Israel seeks to destroy the Al-Aqsa Mosque and build an imaginary temple instead,” claimed Masri, “but the heroes, men and women oppress death and protect the mosque.” The Hamas leader also had something to say about the wildfires that have broken out throughout Israel over the last few days and which were caused, in part, by Arab arson. “The fires that broke out in various parts of occupied Palestine are an outrage from heaven against the Zionists…this is the harsh punishment against which God had warned all those who desire to prevent the prayer or the call to prayer at the Al-Aqsa Mosque or to attack the mosques,” he claimed. Nov. 27, 2016
Headline: Trump: My son-in-law could broker Middle East peace
Donald Trump believes peace can be attained in the Middle East but it isn’t the president-elect who would be in charge — it’s his son in law. In a meeting with The New York Times on Tuesday, Trump said he could see Jared Kushner as the broker between Israel and Palestine according to tweets from meeting attendees. Trump: Jared Kushner could help make peace between the Israelis and Palestinians. — Elisabeth Bumiller (@BumillerNYT) November 22, 2016 I asked PEOTUS what role he sees Kushner playing. Indicates formal role unlikely but he could be a player on Mideast peace. — Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) November 22, 2016 Kushner is an Orthodox Jew and Trump’s daughter Ivanka converted to Judaism before they were married. Kushner has become one of Trump’s most trusted advisers and has been playing a major role in shaping the president-elect’s transition. However, his exact role is not clear. There have been reports that Trump requested security clearances for his children. Trump has denied but it is not clear if Kushner falls under that category. Nov. 28, 2016
Headline: Israeli forces kill 4 Islamic State allies in Golan Heights firefight
Israeli forces engaged in a brief but deadly fight Sunday against Syrian militiamen allied with the Islamic State, killing four militants in the fraught borderlands of the Golan Heights. It was the “first substantial fight” between Israeli soldiers and an Islamic State affiliate in the long-running Syrian war, said Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, an Israeli military spokesman. No Israelis were injured. Although there have been dozens of cases of errant and intentional artillery, mortar and small-arms fire from Syria toward Israeli-controlled territory in the occupied Golan Heights, this exchange involved the group known as the Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade, whose leaders publicly pledged their allegiance to the Islamic State in 2014. About 9 a.m., a reconnaissance unit from Israel’s Golani Brigade was patrolling along the cease-fire line, the military said, outside the Israeli-built fence. The Israeli troops were confronted by the Syrian militants, who deployed small arms and mortars, and the Israelis responded, the military spokesman said. The Israeli air force spotted a vehicle armed with a heavy machine gun and destroyed it with a rocket, killing four occupants, Israel said. Israel has pledged to stay out of the Syrian conflict but has also vowed that it will respond to any threats made against Israelis in the Golan Heights. Nov. 27, 2016
Headline: Israel strikes new ISIS target in Syria day after Golan attack
The IDF on Monday morning again responded to an ISIS attack Sunday against the Israeli Golani Reconnaissance Battalion operating along the Syrian border, the military spokesperson’s office reported. The Israeli Air Force attack targeted an ISIS-held location in the south of the Syrian Golan heights early Monday. Some 10 tons of explosives were said to have been dropped by the IAF on the ISIS target in the retaliatory strike. A military spokesman said that the strike had targeted “an abandoned military facility, which was previously used by the United Nations and served as a location for ISIS to consolidate their offensive forces and operations near the border. This is a response to the attack performed yesterday, and was aimed at preventing the return of the terrorists to the facility which would constitute a substantial threat in the area.” “The IDF will continue to act to protect the citizens of Israel while maintaining the IDF’s freedom of action within the sovereign territory of Israel, and will not hesitate to act against the terrorist organizations operating against it.” Nov. 28, 2016
Headline: Rabbis urge: “Rise up and resist the evacuation!”
Headline: Initial: Attempted shooting attack on IDF in West Bank
120 senior rabbis representing a variety of communities and institutions have made a united call for the public to come to Amona to resist the anticipated evacuation. The declaration’s signatories are from all ends of the religious spectrum, including Rabbi Haim Druckman, head of the Bnei Akiva yeshivas, the rabbi of Ramat Gan, Rabbi Yaakov Ariel, the rabbi of Safed Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu; the rabbi of Kiryat Arba Rabbi Dov Lior, Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, head of Ateret Cohanim Yeshiva, Tzohar chairman Rabbi David Stav. and pre-military academy head Rabbi Eli Sadan, the rabbi of the Old City of Jerusalem Rabbi Avigdor Nebenzahl, and the head of Yeshivat Maaleh Adumim Rabbi Nachum Rabinowitz. “We call on all those who can to come and stay in the community. Our presences will give strength to the residents and be a clear declaration to the decision-makers that we are with the residents of Amona in every way during this difficult time, and we will continue to be with them until the Regulation Law is enacted, and Amona is saved,” the rabbis wrote. They added that “if, heaven forbid, the day comes for an expulsion, we urge the public to continue living in the community, and protesting vigorously the destruction of the community, through passive resistance and non-violence”. The rabbis call on the prime minister to “stop immediately this terrible and unnecessary destruction. The coming days are crucial for the future of Amona and the future of Jewish settlement. The Knesset is sitting on the pot. They have the ability to pass a law that would save the town from destruction. This is no time is to be silent, either towards God or towards our fellow human beings. All men and women should cry to God and stimulate God’s grace to save the town and its inhabitants. ” Nov. 28, 2016
Headline: Jordan, Egypt discuss closer security ties
Jordan and Egypt Sunday discussed enforcing signed security agreements and joint coordination to counter terrorism during talks held in Cairo. Interior Minister Salameh Hammad said at a meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Majdi Abdel Ghafar that his visit was to benefit from the Egyptian expertise in security and anti-terrorism fields, as well as boosting communication channels and the exchange of data on the movement and designs of terrorists and their funding sources. Jordan, Hammad said, looks forward to enacting anti-drugs and civil protection security agreements, and backing these with joint communication mechanisms and exchanging visits by security officials. He said Jordan wanted to send police trainees to join advanced courses at Egypt’s police academy. Nov. 28, 2016
Headline: Yemen’s Houthis form gov’t in setback to peace process
Yemen’s armed Houthi movement and its political allies formed a new government on Monday, the Houthi-run state news agency Saba reported, in what appeared a blow to UN-backed efforts to end 20 months of war in the country. Diplomats had hoped the Houthis, who control the capital Sanaa, would hold off on putting together a Cabinet of their loyalists and instead form a unity government with their Yemeni foes, whom they pushed into Saudi exile. The Houthis, who control territory with more than half of Yemen’s population, previously said forming a government with their allies did not mean abandoning the UN-sponsored peace process. The flight of Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, the internationally recognised president, triggered military intervention by a coalition led Saudi Arabia that has carried out thousands of air strikes on the Houthis but failed to dislodge them from Sanaa. Having caused the deaths of at least 10,000 people and unleashed a humanitarian crisis, the Arabian Peninsula conflict has continued despite several UN-backed ceasefires and peace efforts by Western and UN diplomats. The Houthis this month agreed to a UN plan which required them to hand in heavy weapons and pull out of main cities in exchange for participating in a unity government with Hadi, who rejected the proposal, saying he was the legitimate president. Making common cause with the party of powerful ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh, the Iran-allied Houthis previously ruled the parts of Yemen they controlled through a “Supreme Political Council”, a body which announced the new government. Nov. 28, 2016
Headline: Egypt to Send Troops to Syria to Aid Bashar al-Assad and Russia
Headline: Egyptian pilots flying Russian choppers in Syria
Headline: Egypt denies its military is in Syria
In a new Mideast realignment, Egypt’s president Abdel al-Fattah al-Sisi has said in an interview that that he is officially backing the regime of Syria’s president Bashar al-Assad. According to al-Sisi: [Al-Assad’s forces are] best positioned to combat terrorism and restore stability [in Syria]. Our priority is to support national armies, for example in Libya to exert control over Libya territory and deal with extremist elements. The same with Syria and Iraq. Some analysts are suggesting that al-Sisi’s statement of support is purely political, or only symbolic. But in fact reports indicate that al-Sisi is committed militarily as well. Several reports have indicated that al-Sisi has sent Egyptian helicopters and pilots to Syria to take part in the fighting, and that he plans to send a large deployment of Egyptian troops to Syria in January. Al-Sisi apparently believes that the best way for Egypt to fight ISIS in Egypt is to fight ISIS in Syria. Nov. 28, 2016
Headline: Syrian Army Scores Major Victory by Cutting Through Jihadist-Held Eastern Aleppo
Headline: Large build-up of Hezbollah, Iraqi forces in southern Aleppo
Headline: Complete battlefield update from east Aleppo: map The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its allies are reported to have freed the al-Sakhour neighborhood of eastern Aleppo earlier on Monday, separating southern and northern jihadist-held districts of the embattled city in what would be a major victory that could well determine the outcome of the years-long war. he SAA encircled areas held by radical groups in late July, launching a major operation aimed at freeing the city in September. It is said to be in control of approximately a third of eastern Aleppo at the moment. Earlier on Monday, Damascus-led forces pushed the militants out of the al-Sakhour neighborhood, cutting the rebel-held neighborhoods in two separate parts. The plan aimed at dividing eastern Aleppo into several pockets has turned out to be efficient “both in terms of psychology and military strategy,” Krutikov observed. Nov. 28, 2016
Headline: Aleppo rebels handed over districts to Kurds: report
Amid the dramatic collapse of opposition lines in northeastern Aleppo, rebels groups purportedly handed over a number of districts to Kurdish forces in the divided city. One of the most popular pro-rebel outlets in Aleppo reportedearly Monday afternoon that opposition factions reached an agreement with the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) to deliver the Baydin, Bustan al-Pasha, Ayn al-Tal, Al-Halak, Sheikh Fares and Zaytounat quarters, all of which border the Sheikh Maqsoud district, which is under the de facto control of autonomous Kurds. “The agreement to hand over the neighborhoods… came to protect the lives of civilians and to avoid shelling by the regime and Russian forces,” a military source told the Aleppo Media Center. A monitoring NGO tracking developments in war-torn Syria confirmed that YPG troops entered Bustan al-Pasha and Al-Halak, while saying that Baydin and other areas where under the control of regime forces. However, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights did not provide context on the YPG entry into the two areas nor mention whether YPG fighters engaged in clashes with rebel forces. Nov. 28, 2016
The dream of a national homeland is one that all Kurds share, no matter where they currently live. For the past century—ever since World War I brought about the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the subsequent creation of new nation-states that excluded Kurdish aspirations—they have yearned in vain. Yet now circumstances have conspired to bring the Kurds—or some of them, at least—closer to achieving a workable state than at any other time in recent memory. To be sure, not all of the Kurds are equally well positioned to take advantage. The Kurds of Iran, who briefly enjoyed a self-governing state under Soviet tutelage after World War II, seem the least likely to strike out on their own, given the strength of the Tehran government and the relative weakness of the Kurdish nationalist movement. In southeastern Turkey, the goal of self-determination has long been pursued with particular ferocity by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has carried on a four-decade-long insurgency against the government in Ankara. After years of effectively denying the existence of the roughly 15 million Kurds within its borders, the Turkish state embarked on a policy of cautious rapprochement that culminated in the launching of peace negotiations in 2013. Last year, however, the war flared up again, prosecuted on the Turkish side by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who had, for a time, pursued the peace process with more determination than any of his predecessors. The return to war, amid scenes of extraordinary destruction in Kurdish communities, makes the attainment of any sort of independence for the Turkish Kurds—a long shot under the best of circumstances—even less likely. December 8, 2016 Issue
Headline: Iraqi forces liberate entire Nineveh Plains region from ISIS
The Iraqi Armed Forces have officially liberated the entire Nineveh Plains region of northwestern Iraq after a month long offensive to expel the so-called “Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham” (ISIS) from the area. The Nineveh Plains, which consists of three districts located northeast of Mosul, was one of the first major areas to be captured by the Islamic State terrorists in the Summer of 2014. Once ISIS seized the Nineveh Plains, they began to demolish historical sites that date back several centuries to the ancient Assyrian cities of Nineveh and Nimrud. In addition to liberating the Nineveh Plains, the Iraqi Armed Forces captured the villages of Al-Turkmaniyeh Al-Janoubiyeh and Al-Salaam near teh key town of Tal ‘Afar in northwest Iraq. Nov. 28, 2016
Headline: Turkey could extend state of emergency, Erdogan warns EU
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday warned the European Union that Turkey could extend by at least another three months a state of emergency that has been in place since the failed July coup. In a a speech in Istanbul, Erdogan launched another stinging attack on the EU after the European Parliament voted on Thursday to back a freeze in accession talks with Ankara. He again threatened to bring back the death penalty — a decision that would effectively end Ankara’s longstanding bid — and said that on this he would listen to the Turkish people and not “Hans” and “George”, picking out two common European names. The state of emergency imposed after the July 15 failed coup bid has seen at least 37,000 people arrested, causing alarm in Brussels over the scale of the crackdown. “Maybe the state of emergency will be extended by three months and then maybe another three months,” he said. “This is a decision for the government and the parliament.” “What’s it to you?” he told the European Parliament. “Is the European Parliament in charge of this country or is the government in charge of this country?” “Know your place!” he added, in an angry tirade. Nov. 28, 2016
Headline: Iran considers naval bases in Yemen, Syria
Headline: Iranian vessel points weapon at U.S. helicopter: officials
Iran’s chief of staff of the armed forces said Saturday that Tehran may be interested in setting up naval bases in both Syria and Yemen, the semi-official Tasnim reported. The report by Tasnim, close to military, quoted Gen. Mohammad Hossein Bagheri as saying, “Maybe, at some point we will need bases on the shores of Yemen and Syria.” He said “Having naval bases in remote distances is not less than nuclear power. It is ten times more important and creates deterrence.” Gen. Bagheri added that setting up naval platforms off the shores of those countries requires “infrastructures there first.” He said Iran is also able to set up permanent platforms for military purposes in the Persian Gulf and roving ones in other places. Gen. Bagheri did not elaborate but said “When two thirds of the world’s population lives near shores and the world economy depends on the sea, we have to take measures. Though there is a need for the time for these (steps).” This is the first time that an Iranian military official has spoken of setting up naval bases in another country in the region. No Middle Eastern country is known to have a formal naval base in another Mideast country. Nov. 28, 2016
Headline: Afghanistan Partial Threat Assessment: November 22, 2016
Headline: Four police killed in Taliban ambush in Afghanistan
Taliban militants’ military successes during their 2016 campaign, Operation Omari demonstrate requirements for U.S. policy in Afghanistan. The ANSF is incapable of securing major population centers like Lashkar Gah or Kunduz cities or increasing government-controlled territory without significant U.S. support. The ANSF remains highly dependent on current levels of U.S. support to regenerate units and secure government-controlled territory. Resolute Support Commander General John Nicholson stated on September 23 that the Afghan government controls or heavily influences 68- 70% of the population, and Taliban militants control 10% of the population, leaving roughly a quarter of the country contested. The continued expansion of ungoverned spaces in Afghanistan allows global extremist networks like al Qaeda and ISIS and their allies to carve out sanctuaries from which to target the U.S. and its national security interests. Nov. 28, 2016
Headline: Gunmen kidnap three UNHCR workers in Sudan’s Darfur: local official
Headline: Sudan’s civil disobedience begins amid varying popular response
Unidentified gunmen have kidnapped three workers from the United Nation’s refugee agency in Sudan’s restive Darfur region, a local official told Reuters on Monday. The three workers, one Sudanese and two Nepalese, were kidnapped from Geneina, the capital of West Darfur state and were taken to an unknown location, said West Darfur government spokesman Abdallah Gar al-Nabi. Security forces were working to retrieve them and locate the culprits, he added. An official from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) declined to comment. Security remains fragile in Darfur, where mainly non-Arab tribes have been fighting the Arab-led government in Khartoum, and the government is struggling to control rural areas. Some 300,000 people have been killed in Darfur since the conflict began in 2003, the United Nations says, while over 2.5 million have been displaced. Nov. 28, 2016
Headline: New Putin move to win a military base in Libya
Libyan Gen Khalifa Hafter arrived in Moscow Sunday, Nov. 26, with a request for Russian arms and military support for his army. He was welcomed in Moscow, which saw an opening for Russia to gain its first military base in North Africa. According to debkafile’s military and intelligence sources, President Vladimir Putin began to envision a second Mediterranean base on the coast of Benghazi, twin to Hmeimim in Syria’s Latakia. This one would accommodate Russian naval as well as air units and be located 700km from Europe. The US-born Hafter, a general in the army of the late Muammar Qaddafi, carries the title of supreme commander of the Libyan army. However, Libya is today riddled with hundreds of militias vying for control. Haftar heads a powerful group that was once backed by the United States. But since refusing to recognize the government established by the UN in Tripoli, he relies mainly on the support of Egypt and some of the Gulf emirates for his eastern Libyan Benghazi stronghold. Egypt and the UAE provide Hafter’s army with air support from Egyptian bases in the Western Desert. It was their leaders who urged him to accept the Russian invitation to Moscow and bid for military assistance. This was Hafter’s second trip to Moscow. He was there in June and met with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and National Security Adviser Nikolai Patrushev. Then, the Kremlin was wary of extending military aid to the maverick Libyan general. US, Italian and British special forces were at the time pressing a major offensive to drive ISIS out of the key Libyan port of Sirte. However, this offensive has still not achieved its goal. Nov. 28, 2016
Headline: Russia, Armenia inch closer in collective defense with upgraded joint task force
Armenia and Russia are set to sign a treaty on a joint task force, which would give legal grounds for Russia to use its military to protect Armenia from foreign aggression. Armenia is among the few nations hosting Russian troops on its territory. The new Joint Task Force (JTF) agreement set to be signed this later week between Moscow and Yerevan upgrades an existing military cooperation mechanism, going into far greater detail about how troops would be used in case of a hypothetical attack. For instance, it marks the Russian military base in Armenia as a key component for the JTF deployment, gives Russian command and communication systems a priority in the force’s operation, and states that the JTF commander, who remains in the Armenian chain-of-command during peacetime, may become subordinate to the commander of Russia’s Southern Military District in wartime. “If Armenia is attacked, the Russian military base in Gyumri would be involved in our defense, but this requires legal grounds. This international agreement will provide such grounds,” Armenian Defense Minister Vigen Sarkisyan told Armenian media. Nov. 28, 2016
Headline: Somali student behind car, knife attack at Ohio State University that injured 11
Headline: Ohio State attack probed as possible terrorism
An 18-year-old Somali student was behind an attack involving a car and butcher knife on the campus of Ohio State University Monday that left 11 people injured, officials said. After the attacker, identified by authorities as first-year student Abdul Razak Ali Artan, plowed his vehicle into the crowd, officials said he got out of the vehicle and began attacking people with a butcher knife before he was shot and killed by a campus police officer. Two law enforcement sources told Fox News that Artan came into the United States as a Somali refugee, and was granted status as a legal permanent resident. The motive behind the attack is still unclear, according to law enforcement sources, but investigators are not ruling out anything at this point. Columbus Police Chief Kim Jacobs said authorities were looking into whether it was a terrorist attack. Nov. 28, 2016
Headline: Pipeline protesters vow to stay camped on federal land
Headline: Standing Rock: North Dakota access pipeline demonstrators say white people are ‘treating protest like Burning Man’
Headline: US authorities: Dakota pipeline protesters can stay
Dakota Access oil pipeline protesters will not follow a government directive to leave the federal land where hundreds have camped for months, organizers said Saturday, despite state officials encouraging them to do so. Standing Rock Sioux tribal leader Dave Archambault and other protest organizers confidently explained that they’ll stay at the Oceti Sakowin camp and continue with nonviolent protests a day after Archambault received a letter from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that said all federal lands north of the Cannonball River will be closed to public access Dec. 5 for “safety concerns.” The Corps cited the oncoming winter and increasingly contentious clashes between protesters, who believe the pipeline could harm drinking water and Native American cultural sites, and police. Standing Rock tribal members believe the land in which the encampment is on is owned by the Sioux through a more than century-old treaty with the U.S. government. “We are wardens of this land. This is our land and they can’t remove us,” said protester Isaac Weston, who is an Oglala Sioux member from South Dakota. “We have every right to be here to protect our land and to protect our water.” Nov. 28, 2016
About 100 demonstrators gathered in front of the Nebraska Capitol building Sunday morning to protest President-elect Donald Trump. Chelsea Dappen, a senior at Nebraska Wesleyan University, passionately spoke against Trump. Dappen, a sexual assault survivor, was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder four years ago. She said that her PTSD was triggered by the president-elect and that she refuses to be neutral about the election. “As a sexual assault survivor, I know firsthand the dangers of neutrality and becoming a bystander.” Dappen said. “In our culture, we’re trained to mind our own business and not stir the pot. Sometimes, the pot needs stirred.” Dappen said comments Trump made to Billy Bush in a recorded conversation in 2005 were an admittance to sexual assault. “The second we stop calling him out, his words become normalized,” she said. Lincoln resident Michael Funk, 24, said he protested because he’s against everything Trump and his associates stand for. He’s also concerned for the LGBTQ and Muslim communities, he said. Nov. 28, 2016
Headline: ‘It’s Standing Rock North’: Trans Mountain pipeline in Canada stirs strong opposition
Headline: Trudeau cabinet to discuss Trans Mountain pipeline Tuesday as B.C. First Nation vows to oppose it
Canada’s Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion would nearly triple the amount of Alberta oil transported to the Vancouver-area port just across the water from this tiny First Nation reserve, where the Tsleil-Waututh people are battling a pipeline with far bigger capacity than the bitterly fought-over Keystone and Dakota Access pipelines in the U.S. The $6.3 billion expansion would position Canada to be the biggest oil producer in the Americas, and could be approved as soon as Monday by the Trudeau administration. “We don’t realize we have Saudi Arabia in our backyard, and there is this pent-up demand to get (the oil) to market,” said Fred Felleman, a Seattle Port commissioner and consultant to Friends of the Earth, which opposes the project. “And here is this little sleeper pipeline project, Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain; it’s bigger than all of them.” Nov. 28, 2016
Headline: Somalia car bomb: Blast rips through Mogadishu market
Headline: 10 dead as residents in 1 Somali town resist al-Shabab taxes
Headline: Somali forces begin moving to attack ISIS holding port town
A car bomb has killed at least 11 people and injured 16 others in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu. The blast hit a market in the Waberi area, while President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was visiting a nearby university. No group claimed responsibility, but suspicion fell on the Islamist militant group al-Shabab. “There was chaos and severed dead bodies strewn around the street,” said Abdulahi Osman, a witness. Ambulance workers says the death toll could rise substantially. More than 22,000 peacekeepers are currently deployed in Somalia in the multi-national African Union force. Meanwhile, Hundreds of pro-government Somali forces began moving toward the port town of Qandala on Monday for an offensive against Islamic State fighters who seized it last month, Qandala’s mayor Jamac Mohamed Khurshe told Reuters. The pro-government forces includes militia fighters, soldiers form the semi-autonomous region of Puntland and fighters from the same clan as Abdiqadir Mumin, the Somali insurgent leader who has pledged allegiance to Islamic State, Somali security officials said. Nov. 28, 2016
Headline: Uganda police arrest Rwenzururu king over deadly clashes
Police in western Uganda have arrested the king of Rwenzururu over clashes between officers and militia which have left at least 55 people dead. Charles Wesley Mumbere is accused of inciting violence after militiamen reportedly attacked a police post in his hometown of Kasese. Security forces stormed his palace amid claims he was harbouring fighters. The king has denied any involvement. At least 14 police officers and 41 militants have died in the clashes. A Ugandan government spokesman accused the militia of seeking to break away from Uganda. “These militiamen have set up camps in the Rwenzori mountains from where they train and come to attack government installations,” Shaban Bantariza said. Police spokesman Andrew Felix Kaweesi said the attackers were fighting to create a new republic on the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. Several other people were also arrested when the security forces stormed the king’s palace on Sunday, he told the BBC. Nov. 27, 2016
Headline: 30 Boko Haram troops killed in ambush of Nigerian government convoy
Thirty suspected Boko Haram militants died when the Nigerian army repelled an ambush of traveling government members near Bama, a local official said. “We were traveling from Pulka to Maiduguri when militants attacked our convoy with improvised explosive devices and sporadic gunshots, just after [passing the village of] Ngurosoye, but the troops repelled them, killing up to 30 of the terrorists,” said Saeed Salisu, chairmen of the government of Gwoza, in northeastern Borno state. Nigerian troops escorting the convoy Sunday returned fire. No government officials were injured, but several soldiers were treated for injuries at a nearby barracks hospital. The insurgent group has perfected a new tactic of waiting to ambush convoys. At least two senior officers were killed in the past two months, including Lt. Col. Mohammed Abu-Ali, a commanding officer in the army’s counter-terrorism unit, the Nigerian newspaper the Guardian reported Monday. Nov. 28, 2016
Headline: Philippine police find home-made bomb near U.S. embassy, rebels suspected
Philippine police conducted a controlled detonation of a home-made bomb found in a trash bin near the U.S. embassy in Manila on Monday and said militants sympathetic to Islamic State could have been responsible. National police chief Ronald dela Rosa said components of the improvised explosive device suggested it could have been planted by the Maute, a Muslim rebel group that has pledged allegiance to Islamic State. Maute’s fighters were locked in a standoff with the military for a third day in the country’s south. More rebels were reported killed on Monday, taking the number of dead to 19. “We could theorize that they could use this as a diversion,” dela Rosa told a news conference. The embassy had no immediate comment on the discovery of the bomb, which was left about 200 meters from the compound. Business there continued as normal, with dozens of Filipinos queuing outside for visa applications. An 81 mm mortar round was used as an explosive device and that was a signature of the group, Dela Rosa said. Similar components were used in a Sept. 2 bombing in Davao, which killed 15 people died and wounded about 70. Nov. 28, 2016
Headline: ‘Day of Rage’ rupee ban protests held in India
Thousands of people in India are protesting the government’s decision to ban 500 and 1,000 rupee notes, which accounted for 86 percent of cash in circulation. About 90 percent of India’s financial transactions are done in cash. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this month announced the currency ban but most opposition parties on Monday are holding protestsover the decision in what they’re calling a “Day of Rage.” Protests have been held in the cities of Kolkata, Lucknow and Bangalore, as well as in India’s Kerala and Tripura states, which are ruled by India’s Communist Party. Though the opposition parties agreed to protest, they did not agree on the means — with some calling for a strike — or the extent to which they oppose the demonetization, Times of India reports. Amit Shah, the president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, to which Modi belongs, said the opposition are merely opposing everything Modi is doing. Some opposition parties last week stalled Parliament and demanded Modi apologize for the demonetization decision. Nov. 28, 2016
Headline: China again sends fighter jets, bombers through sensitive strait south of Okinawa
Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force scrambled aircraft in response to a flight by Chinese fighters and bombers through a key entryway into the Pacific Ocean between Okinawa and Miyako Island, the Defense Ministry said. Two Chinese fighters and bombers, as well as two other surveillance planes, flew through the Miyako Strait on Friday. The flight, which did not infringe on Japanese territorial airspace, was legal but went through a politically sensitive area. It was the second such flight since September, when Beijing dispatched at least eight fighters and bombers through the area — apparently to send a message to Tokyo. Friday’s flight involved two H-6 bombers and two intelligence-gathering aircraft that flew northwest over the Pacific Ocean toward the East China Sea, passing through the strait south of Okinawa. The two Su-30 fighters entered the passageway from the opposite direction, making U-turns to link up with the four other aircraft before flying to the East China Sea, the Defense Ministry’s Joint Staff Office said in a news release. Nov. 26, 2016
Headline: Anti-terror police units deployed on London’s streets
Anti-terrorism police patrol units are hitting the streets of London in an attempt to spot people carrying out “hostile reconnaissance” and other criminal activity. Lambeth and Wandsworth will be the first areas to see the new patrol units of uniformed and undercover officers from today, and are due to be extended to other boroughs in the coming months. Scotland Yard stressed the move was “not in response to a specific threat”. Operation Servator, as it is known, is a tactic of policing already used by other forces including City of London and British Transport Police. It “is based on extensive research into the psychology of criminals and what undermines their activities”, the Metropolitan Police said. Other units will also be available, including the dogs and boat units and the territorial support unit riot police. Nov. 28, 2016
Zimbabwe is issuing a new currency, known as bond notes, that officially are equal to the U.S. dollar. The government has gone ahead with the plan despite warnings the new currency will fuel hyperinflation and worsen the already ailing economy. On Monday, there were still long queues at most ATMs in Harare, despite the release of the new bond notes, which are intended, in part, to ease long-running cash shortages. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe says the new currency will, among other things, increase the country’s exports. But economist Prosper Chitambara, of the Labor and Economic Development Research Institute of Zimbabwe, says the bond notes will worsen the country’s situation. “The costs may probably outweigh the intended benefits. Most of the economic agents in Zimbabwe have to buy imports from outside our borders. So they would require either U.S. dollars or South African dollars, or other internationally tradable currencies to be able to do business. Actually the bond note has even exacerbated the macroeconomic sustainability. It has eroded confidence within the financial system. It has created a lot of uncertainties in the market. Investors are not going to be interested in doing business in Zimbabwe,” Chitambara said. Nov. 28, 2016
Headline: Tunisia to issue 1bn euro Eurobond in January
Tunisia plans to issue a Eurobond worth 1 billion euros in January as it seeks funding to cover its deficit, a government source said on Monday. The issue was initially scheduled for April, but that was delayed after Tunisia secured a $500 million sovereign bond fully guaranteed by the United States, said the official. “Tunisia will issue in January 2017 a delayed 1 billion euro Eurobond that was first planned earlier this year,” he said, without giving further details. Tunisia’s economy has been hit by social unrest and militant attacks following the 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali. Investment has fallen and unemployment is high, especially among young people. The government is facing further strikes over austerity measures included in the 2017 budget as it tries to cut public spending and rein in the deficit. Tunisia recently cut its 2016 growth forecast to 1.5 percent this year, down from an expected 2.5 percent. Nov. 28, 2016
Headline: ‘Thunderstorm asthma’ deaths in Melbourne rise to six
Headline: Aerosol flu vaccine with live virus to be sprayed on all Americans? It’s already ‘approved for deployment’ in Australia
The number of people dying in the Australian city of Melbourne from a rare phenomenon called thunderstorm asthma has risen to six. Three others are in a critical condition. Heavy rains and winds on Monday triggered thousands of pollen allergy asthma attacks in the state of Victoria. Paramedics and hospitals were stretched to their limits as thousands phoned to report breathing problems. Thunderstorm asthma occurs in the spring when rye grass pollen gets wet, breaks into smaller pieces and enters people’s lungs, causing them breathing problems. More than 8,000 people were treated in hospital. About one in 10 people has asthma in Australia, with about 80% of those sufferers experiencing allergies, particularly to rye pollen. Melbourne’s current spring season has been particularly wet, creating havoc for asthma and hay fever sufferers. Nov. 27, 2016
Headline: New law still limits freedom of religion
On 18 November 2016 Vietnams 14th National Assembly passed the nations first ever Law on Belief and Religion, amid concerns that multiple drafts of the Bill did not conform to international standards on freedom of religion or belief. Although the final text has not yet been made public, it is not expected to have altered significantly from previous drafts. The text of the law has been revised numerous times. Some improvements to the draft were made during the revision process, possibly in response to the feedback offered by religious communities. However, these improvements, and the inclusion of basic guarantees of the right to freedom of religion or belief, were undermined by onerous registration requirements and excessive State interference in the internal affairs of religious organisations. In a joint statement published prior to the passing of the law, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) and the Vietnam Committee on Human Rights (VCHR), together with over 50 civil society organisations and Vietnamese religious groups called upon the Vietnamese Government to ensure that registration is not a pre-requisite for the exercise of freedom of religion or belief. Nov. 24, 2016
Headline: Pakistan province bans forced conversion of Christians to Islam
Forced conversions from one faith to another in a major Pakistan province have been banned. Sindh’s provincial assembly voted to criminalise those who use force to make people change their religion. The bill means perpetrators can face five years in prison whilst facilitators could be handed a three year sentence. According to charities at least 1,000 girls, most of them Christians, are forcibly converted to Islam in Pakistan every year. Physical, emotional or psychological violence is often used to make another person adopt another religion. Under the new law anyone converting will be monitored for 21 days “to ensure they are converting for religious purposes and by their own free will, not out of fashion or under force.” Nasir Saeed, director of CLAAS-UK, welcomed the new law: “Unequivocally, it is a great step taken by the Sindh government to protect the religious minorities. “Though it will not stop the ongoing trend in society, it will help to reduce such crimes and it will also build confidence and a sense of security among the religious minorities. “The police do not normally take action in such cases, fearing the reaction and pressure from the Muslim community, but now they will have to take action.” He urged the Punjab government to consider a similar law given that it is home to most of the Christian population. Nov. 28, 2016
All earthquakes are instantly posted to the ETRM Facebook page- you do not need to sign up; click the photo below to see the earthquake album ***beginning November 29, 2016, earthquakes of a 5.0 magnitude and higher will be posted
~click the photo to see ALL the maps of the large earthquakes for the current year~
Headline: What’s shaking? List & map of USGS Earthquakes~Click the shaking house~
This site contains documentation regarding Bible prophecy and current events. The subject matter deals with facts supporting the fulfillment of bible prophecy, and it will prove this is the chosen generation to see Jesus Christ return, and I will prove this point in the book. To some people this subject is scary, but the current situation of the world was foretold in the Bible so we would understand and prepare for Christ's return. This site will help you be prepared for the Lord's 2nd coming and show you how you can enjoy your life while we wait for the Lord's return. All the documentation you will be reading on this site has been taken from the pages of my book which is called "THE LAST CHRONICLES OF PLANET EARTH". Unlike most authors I never charge anyone to read my book. Jesus warned that the generation who saw all these things (prophecies) take place at the same time, that would be the generation chosen to see His 2nd coming. Jesus in Matthew 24:33-34 said the following: "Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened." Belive me, you will want to be ready to meet Jesus when He calls His church home! I welcome any comments. Thank you. Frank DiMora
Bible prophecy documentary book download proving our generation will see the return of the Lord. Do you want to know what is going to happen in the future before it actually takes place? The Word of God provides you with specific details about our future and all of these things are coming to pass in this generation. If you aren’t saved yet this is a must read!
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