JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO OTHER.
1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)
FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS
REVELATION 8:7
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
Fort McMurray Canadian Tire working to reopen after helping firefighting effort-[CBC]-June 5, 2016-YAHOONEWS
Empty shelves line the Canadian Tire in Fort McMurray, but the dust has been wiped off.Employees and volunteers are working to reopen the store as the city comes back to life. Flames left the building untouched, yet the wildfire still managed to empty the shelves inside.When Fort McMurray evacuated last month, managers handed their keys to firefighters. Crews used the store's inventory of chainsaws, axes, fire extinguishers and work boots to counter the wildfire.As the flames moved away, bags of pet food went towards feeding the animals left behind.Once evacuees flooded back into the city, a group of employees dug out the supplies they needed.-Like spinning plates-Running the business is like spinning plates says Ray McDonald, who owns the Fort McMurray Canadian Tire.Normally, he divides his attention between a handful of tasks to make sure all departments are operating smoothly.Now, McDonald says he's doing his best not to let anything drop.Flames didn't get close enough to singe the building, but environmental testing done in the store after the fire passed showed particle pollution.When McDonald returned to Fort McMurray he faced a massive cleanup with just a fraction of his usual staff to help. Out of 115 full-time employees, less than 30 said they could take shifts.They worked with volunteers to wipe down the store's surfaces and solid items, to vacuum the vents. They threw out all food and anything made of absorbent material."It is a tremendous amount of inventory," McDonald said.-A painful way of doing business-Since customers aren't allowed into the store yet, they lined up outside. Store runners take each person's order individually, go inside, find the required item, wipe it down, and then carry it out to the customer.McDonald describes it as a painful business model.He's optimistic the store will reopen to customers on June 7, and that the shelves will be restocked by the end of the month."I'm hoping a month from now this will be a distant memory," he said. "We have a community that has that strong background already, so I feel that we're in good shape going forward."We will rebuild."As more and more evacuees return to Fort McMurray, McDonald says he wants to have the tools ready to do just that.@ZoeHTodd
Residents return as Los Angeles-area wildfire tamed-[The Canadian Press]-The Associated Press-June 6, 2016-YAHOONEWS
CALABASAS, Calif. - A wildfire sparked when a car accident brought down power lines near an upscale suburb of Los Angeles has been reduced to mostly embers, and thousands of people driven from their homes have all been cleared to return.A weekend that arrived with blazing heat went out with milder temperatures. That allowed firefighters to get the blaze near the prosperous and semi-rural neighbourhoods of Calabasas 80 per cent contained by Sunday night up from 30 per cent at daybreak.Firefighters hiked up steep canyons to get to the fire, whose growth stopped at just over 500 acres, and used aircraft to make water drops along its edges, Los Angeles County Deputy Fire Chief John Tripp said.At the height of the fire, about 3,000 homes were threatened and about 5,000 residents were under evacuation orders. The fire destroyed one commercial building, Tripp said.To the southeast, a smoky wildfire burning in Riverside County was 65 per cent contained Sunday. The blaze that broke out a day earlier along Interstate 15 in Temecula charred about 140 acres of dry brush.To the north in Monterey County, a wildfire that has charred 3,500 acres of grass and brush in the Los Padres National Forest has prompted some evacuations and is threatening structures.About 400 firefighters battled the blaze Sunday on land and by air with air tankers and helicopters. The fire started Saturday afternoon west of King City. It is 10 per cent contained.
OZONE DEPLETION JUDGEMENT ON THE EARTH DUE TO SIN
ISAIAH 30:26-27
26 Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold,(7X OR 7-DEGREES HOTTER) as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people,(ISRAEL) and healeth the stroke of their wound.
27 Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire:
MATTHEW 24:21-22,29
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened,(DAY LIGHT HOURS SHORTENED) there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake (ISRAELS SAKE) those days shall be shortened (Daylight hours shortened)(THE ASTEROID HITS EARTH HERE)
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
REVELATION 16:7-9
7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
India’s Crippling Heat Wave Continues With Temperatures Over 116°F-[Time]-Rishi Iyengar-June 6, 2016-YAHOONEWS
Despite the onset of the monsoon in several parts of the country, India continues to reel under a brutal heat wave that has now lasted more than two months and claimed dozens of lives.On Monday, temperatures rose to more than 47°C (116.6°F) in the western state of Rajasthan — which also recorded India’s hottest day ever at 123.8°F last month — the Press Trust of India reported.Some respite is expected, however, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicting the onset of annual rains, called the Southwest Monsoon, across India later this week. Local Met departments in the capital Delhi, where temperatures rose to 42.6°C (108.7°F), also anticipated thunderstorms late Monday, as did authorities in other north Indian states like Punjab, Haryana and the union territory of Chandigarh.More than 130 people have now died from the heat wave and resultant drought affecting large swathes of the country.[NDTV]
STORMS HURRICANES-TORNADOES
LUKE 21:25-26
25 And there shall be signs in the sun,(HEATING UP-SOLAR ECLIPSES) and in the moon,(MAN ON MOON-LUNAR ECLIPSES) and in the stars;(ASTEROIDS ETC) and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear,(TORNADOES,HURRICANES,STORMS) and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth:(DESTRUCTION) for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.(FROM QUAKES,NUKES ETC)
Tropical Storm Colin threatens Florida, U.S. Southeast-[Reuters]-By Letitia Stein-June 6, 2016-YAHOONEWS
TAMPA, Fla. (Reuters) - Florida braced for flooding and strong winds as Tropical Storm Colin churned toward the state's northern Gulf Coast on Monday, and was expected to make landfall later in the day before crossing the U.S. Southeast.Tropical storm warnings were in effect for the state's central and northern coastlines as Colin, which was expected to rumble through the Gulf of Mexico, gusted to around 50 miles per hour (85 kph), the National Hurricane Center in Miami said.A tropical storm watch extended to coastal Georgia and South Carolina, which were expected to be in the storm's path overnight Tuesday. Forecasters warned of dangerous surf conditions and the potential for flooding.The storm, expected to speed up later in the day, was on track to reach the Big Bend region in the northern part of the state on Monday afternoon or evening.Fears of storm surges exacerbated by high tide prompted voluntary evacuations in low-lying areas of Franklin County, Florida, about 70 miles (112 kilometers) southwest of Tallahassee.Flooding and isolated tornadoes threatened densely populated communities from south of the Tampa Bay region through Jacksonville, according to the National Weather Service.Colin is part of a brisk start to the Atlantic hurricane season running through Nov. 30. Over the U.S. Memorial Day holiday weekend, the Carolinas were lashed by heavy rain and winds from Tropical Storm Bonnie.At 8 a.m. EDT (noon GMT) on Monday, Colin was located about 315 miles (505 kilometers) west-southwest of Tampa. It was moving north-northeast at 14 miles per hour (22 kilometers per hour).(Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)
U.S. Gulf of Mexico oil producers don't expect storm impact-[Reuters]-June 6, 2016-YAHOONEWS
HOUSTON (Reuters) - Gulf of Mexico offshore oil producer Shell Oil Co said on Sunday Tropical Storm Colin was forecast to miss the company's production platforms before striking Florida on Monday.The U.S. National Hurricane Center forecasts Colin, which became a tropical storm on Sunday afternoon, will strike the Gulf Coast of Florida on Monday night."Based on the current forecast there is no impact expected for our offshore assets, but we will continue to monitor and will make decisions accordingly," said Ray Fisher, spokesman for Shell Oil, the U.S. unit of Royal Dutch Shell Plc .Oil and natural gas producers in the Gulf will shut in production and evacuate workers when tropical cyclones threaten to churn production areas, primarily off the coasts of Louisiana and Texas.Chevron Corp said it was monitoring Colin's path. Exxon Mobil Corp is also monitoring the storm's progress.The Gulf of Mexico is home to 17 percent of U.S. crude output and 5 percent of dry natural gas output daily, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Both of these amounts have decreased as onshore oil and gas production ramped up in big shale plays.More than 45 percent of the nation's refining capacity is located along the U.S. Gulf Coast, which also is home to 51 percent of total U.S. natural gas processing capability.Colin is not forecast to strike Gulf Coast refining and natural gas processing hubs.(Reporting by Erwin Seba; Editing by Richard Pullin)
Ninth Fort Hood soldier killed in Texas floods identified-[Reuters]-June 5, 2016-YAHOONEWS
(Reuters) - A 25-year-old specialist from California was the ninth soldier at the Fort Hood Army post killed last week when a military vehicle overturned in flood waters, officials said on Sunday.Yingming Sun was among those who died when a military vehicle overturned in a flood-swollen creek on June 2 at the military post in central Texas, the Fort Hood base said in a statement. The names of the other eight soldiers killed in the incident were released on Saturday.Three soldiers were rescued from the water and survived. The accident that occurred at a low-water crossing during a training exercise remains under investigation by the U.S. Army.Torrential rains that deluged Texas last week resulted in at least 16 weather-related deaths.(Reporting by Letitia Stein in Tampa, Fla.; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli)
Philpott: Provincial assisted dying regulations do not provide enough clarity-[thecanadianpress.com]-June 6, 2016-YAHOONEWS
OTTAWA - Health Minister Jane Philpott is telling health care providers gathered in Ottawa today that provincial guidelines and regulations on doctor-assisted dying do not provide enough clarity and protection to those who may now be asked to help their patients die.In a speech to a national health leadership conference this morning, Philpott reminded the room that doctor-assisted dying now becomes legal in Canada after the federal government missed the deadline the Supreme Court gave them to enact legislation responding to its landmark ruling on physician-assisted death.Medical regulators in every province have already issued guidelines for physicians on providing assistance in dying, based on the eligibility criteria outlined by the Supreme Court.Those rules impose safeguards similar to — and in some cases, even stronger than — those proposed in C-14.That bill is now undergoing scrutiny by senators, who are expected to hear today from a constitutional expert who will say C-14 does not comply with the Supreme Court ruling because it restricts access to people who are already near death.The government is urging the Senate to pass the law quickly, arguing the legislation is urgently needed to protect health care professionals and vulnerable people.
Rainbow flags fill downtown Moose Jaw as city celebrates first pride parade-[CBC]-June 5, 2016-YAHOONEWS
In many ways this weekend's pride parade in Moose Jaw was like many others you see in Canadian cities.There was a large crowd of people marching down the street while waving flags as dance music echoed through the city.You could spot drag queens dressed in pink sequins, women in feather boas and kids with rainbow flag tattoos decorating their cheeks. All of this, however, is new to Moose Jaw. The 2016 pride parade is the first for the city of 33,000."I'm just beyond words right now," Joe Wickenhauser, executive director of Moose Jaw Pride, said when asked about the effort that went into the event.During the parade on Saturday, Wickenhauser pumped up the crowd while wearing an inflatable unicorn and a T-shirt with the slogan: "Keep calm and pride on."The parade is a second first for Moose Jaw Pride. The organization opened a community centre in April."There's just a lot of people in our community that support LGBT people," he said."We're just really excited to have this venue — this opportunity — for people to all come together and say, 'You know, it's 2016. It's time to embrace gender and sexual diversity and celebrate it.'"-Honouring 1978 protest-The parade also paid homage to past struggles.The route was the same one people walked in a 1978 gay rights protest in Moose Jaw. Recalling that time, Regina's Roger Carriere — who was there — said the protest was organized because a well-known, anti-gay activist was on the way to Moose Jaw with her "Save Our Children" campaign. "Anita Bryant and her colleagues were on a crusade across Canada to prevent legal protection of gay men and lesbians," said Carriere.He said more than 100 people were in the protest which felt, to him, like a solemn affair.Carriere also remembers how some people were fearful about participating."Certainly in the march there were some people who seemed concerned about being identified," Carriere said. "One fellow had a paper bag over his head. A woman had very large sunglasses."Carriere led this weekend's pride parade as the Grand Marshal. "In essence that march instilled pride," Carriere said Saturday at the parade, adding he hoped people were feeling that emotion again — 38 years later.
Police van driver goes on trial for black man's death-[Associated Press]-JULIET LINDERMAN-June 5, 2016-YAHOONEWS
BALTIMORE (AP) — The stakes are high in the upcoming trial for an officer who prosecutors say bears the most responsibility for the death of Freddie Gray, a young black man whose spine was snapped in the back of a police transport wagon.The van driver, Officer Caesar Goodson, faces second-degree murder and other charges. He will also face buck-passing from fellow officers who have already testified in two previous trials that if anyone was responsible for ensuring Gray’s safety, it was him.The officer faces 30 years in prison if he’s convicted of the murder charge. If prosecutors fail to secure a guilty verdict, it will be the third straight trial in which they haven’t gotten a favorable decision: The first trial ended in a hung jury and the second finished with an acquitted last month.Prosecutors say Goodson was grossly negligent when he failed to buckle Gray into a seat belt and call for medical aid during Gray’s 45-minute ride in the back of Goodson’s transport van April 12, 2015. But with no eye witnesses and very little physical evidence, experts say the government could be facing an uphill battle.“It would be devastating for the state to lose Goodson’s trial because there’s no question that the ultimate responsibility lies with the van driver,” said Warren Alperstein, a Baltimore attorney who has been closely following the case.Gray died a week after he was injured in the van. His death prompted protests and civil unrest in the streets of Baltimore, and his name became a national rallying cry for people angry over officers’ mistreatment of African Americans.Gray was arrested in West Baltimore after making eye contact with a bicycle officer and running away. Once he was handcuffed and placed inside the van, witnesses have testified that Gray began to scream and kick so violently he shook the wagon. Two blocks from the arrest site, the wagon stopped again, and three officers took Gray out of the van to put him in leg shackles. They then placed him on the floor of the van, head-first and on his belly. He was never buckled into a seat belt, as required by department policy.The van made six stops in total during the trip from the site of his arrest to the Western District station house. Goodson is the only officer present at each of the stops. At one point, Goodson stopped the van to check on Gray without any other officers there.Goodson, 46, faces second-degree “depraved-heart” murder, manslaughter, assault, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment charges. Prosecutors say that Goodson was so negligent in his failure to buckle Gray into a seat belt that he disregarded the apparent risk to Gray’s life and wellbeing.Officer William Porter, whose trial ended in a hung jury in December, testified during his trial that he told Goodson at one of the stops to take Gray to the hospital, but Goodson didn’t. Instead, Goodson made another stop to pick up a second prisoner.Goodson recently filed a motion seeking to block prosecutors from entering into evidence statements Porter made to an investigator. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Monday and jury selection is expected to start Tuesday.Goodson is the only officer who chose not to make a statement to investigators.“This is unlike the other trials, where at least the state had a preview as to what the defense might be or what the defendant might say on the witness stand,” said Steve Levin, a Baltimore attorney who is familiar but unaffiliated with the case.“All the stops, it could work in Goodson’s favor because it demonstrates that he was concerned about his prisoner,” Levin said. “At the same time, it could work in the state’s favor because prosecutors could argue that Officer Goodson saw Mr. Gray several times and he saw that he was injured and needed medical aid, and that he was so concerned that he kept checking on Gray.”Another key difference between Goodson’s trial and Officer Edward Nero, who was acquitted last month, is who will decide. Nero opted for a bench trial, while Goodson could place his fate in hands of a jury. Court officials have indicated that jury selection will begin Tuesday, however Goodson could still opt for a judge trial.David Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor familiar with the case, said if he chooses a jury trial, selecting the panel will be a crucial process.“That’s where people’s sympathies and experiences come into play,” he said. “This will be critical, between pretrial publicity, preconceived notions about law enforcement and people and crime and what an officer’s job is. It’ll all come into play here.”
No charges against mother in Cincinnati gorilla case: prosecutor-[Reuters]-By Ginny McCabe-June 6, 2016-YAHOONEWS
CINCINNATI (Reuters) - No criminal charges will be filed against the mother of the 3-year-old boy who fell into a gorilla enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo, causing zookeepers to kill an endangered gorilla to protect the child, an Ohio prosecutor said on Monday.A 17-year-old endangered western lowland silverback gorilla named Harambe was shot by zoo staff in the minutes after the boy fell on May 28, touching off a storm of criticism aimed at both the zoo and the boy's mother.Some critics had called for criminal charges against the mother, who was with the boy at the zoo, for reckless endangerment. Police and prosecutors did not provide the name of the mother, but multiple media reports identified her as 32-year-old Michelle Gregg, who works as a preschool administrator.The boy suffered a concussion and some scrapes but escaped serious injury. The family previously said it does not intend to sue the zoo."I am very sorry about the loss of this gorilla but nothing about this situation rises to the level of a criminal charge," Hamilton County prosecutor Joseph Deters said on Monday."Had she been in the bathroom smoking crack and let her kids run around the zoo that'd be a different story," he told reporters on Monday. "She was attending to her children by all witness accounts and the 3-year-old just scampered off."He said the mother, according to witnesses, never placed her son in danger and only turned away for a few seconds to deal with another child."If anyone doesn't believe a 3-year-old can scamper off very quickly, they've never had kids because they can and they do," he added.Deters also said he was glad the zoo had changed the gorilla enclosure to prevent a repeat of the incident. It will reopen Tuesday with a higher barrier and added knotted rope netting.The family was pleased with the prosecutor's decision."This is one more step in allowing us to put this tragic episode behind us and return to our normal family life," the family said in a statement.The boy was at the zoo with his mother, three sisters, ages 7, 4 and 1, and family friends when he climbed over a 3-foot barrier and fell 15 feet into a moat, according to the Hamilton County prosecutor's office and witnesses.The gorilla dragged the child through the enclosure before zoo officials shot him.(Reporting by Fiona Ortiz, Suzannah Gonzales and Justin Madden in Chicago; Editing by Bernadette Baum and Cynthia Osterman)
Ohio prosecutor to decide on charges in Cincinnati Zoo case-[Associated Press]-June 6, 2016-YAHOONEWS
CINCINNATI (AP) — An Ohio prosecutor plans to release his decision Monday on whether he will pursue charges against the family of a 3-year-old boy who got into the Cincinnati Zoo's gorilla exhibit, leading to the fatal shooting of an endangered gorilla to protect the child.Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters has scheduled an afternoon news conference, in which he's expected to discuss his conclusions after a review into the family's actions.Legal experts have said that prosecution on child endangerment or similar charges seems unlikely. The family has declined to comment.The zoo says it was the first such breach in Gorilla World's 38 years of existence, but the exhibit will reopen Tuesday with a higher, reinforced barrier. The boy apparently climbed over the barrier May 28 before falling about 15 feet into a shallow moat.A special response team shot and killed the gorilla, 17-year-old Harambe, after concluding the boy's life was at stake.A Cincinnati police report identifies the boy's mother as Michelle Gregg, 32, who works at a preschool near Cincinnati. The child's father isn't named in the report, and it's unclear whether he was at the zoo at the time of the incident.The boy's family has said he is doing well at home after being treated at a hospital. Police said he had scrapes on his head and knee.Police released 911 tapes last week that highlighted the confusion and panic in the moments when the boy plunged into the gorilla exhibit."He's dragging my son! I can't watch this!" a woman says in the 911 call. As she pleads for help, she shouts at her son repeatedly: "Be calm!"The police report states that witnesses said the gorilla initially appeared to be protecting the child, but after onlookers began screaming, he became "agitated and scared" and began dragging the child.The boy's family has expressed gratitude to the zoo for protecting his life.
Russia not cooperating on MH17 inquiry-By EUOBSERVER
4. Jun, 09:49-Investigators into the MH17 disaster in Ukraine in 2014 on Friday complained that Russia is withholding information on Buk missiles, the type of projectile believed to have shot down the plane. The JIT - a team of criminal sleuths from the Netherlands, Australia, Malaysia, Belgium and Ukraine - said it will present its "first results" after the summer on who was responsible for the tragedy, which cost 298 lives.
France urges EU co-ordination of South China Sea patrols-By EUOBSERVER-JUN 6,16
Today, 08:29-France aims to push European Union countries to coordinate navy patrols in the disputed South China Sea, French defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said at the Shangri-La Asian defence forum in Singapore on Sunday, according to Bloomberg. A senior French official travelling with the minister said France will discuss plans with EU partners in coming weeks, with a focus on guaranteeing that EU navies regularly crisscross the waters.
Greek MPs adopt bailout measures-By EUOBSERVER
3. Jun, 09:30-Greek MPs adopted on Thurday evening measures required by creditors to confirm the unblocking of a € 7.5 billion tranche of aid this month. They agreed to abolish an aid on small pensions and to allow stated-guaranteed loans to be sold by banks when they have not been repaid. They also adopted a framework for privatisations. All MPs from the 153-strong government majority voted in favour.
Five Star candidate poised to become Rome's new mayor By Alvise Armellini-jun 6,16-euobserver
Rome, Today, 08:52-The first round of Italian local elections on Sunday (5 June) has left prime minister Matteo Renzi humbled and his biggest rivals - the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) - triumphant.The party founded by comedian Beppe Grillo scored a larger than expected victory in Rome and looks all but assured of conquering power in the capital after a run-off vote due on 19 June.“This is only the half time result, there will be a final sprint, but it is a historic moment,” the M5S’ mayoral candidate in the capital city, Virginia Raggi, said in an overnight statement.“Romans are ready to turn over a page and we are ready to govern … ladies and gentlemen: the wind is changing, the wind is changing!”, she said.Raggi, a 37 year-old lawyer, could become Rome’s first-ever female mayor and the youngest in more than 100 years.Her success comes on the back of a major local corruption scandal known as Mafia Capitale, as well as deep resentment against Renzi’s Democratic Party (PD), which has had a dismal record in office since winning the last municipal elections in 2013.Some of its cadres were arrested and are facing trial over Mafia Capitale bribery accusations.Outgoing Mayor Ignazio Marino came out clean, but was forced out by his own party in October over an expenses scandal, and after failing to get to grips with Rome’s endemic traffic, waste management and debt problems.With counting almost complete, Raggi was said to have won about 35.5 percent, against 25 percent for the PD’s Roberto Giachetti.The ruling party’s candidate looked at one point to have been pushed into third place by hard-right candidate Giorgia Meloni, and thus excluded from the second round square-off with Raggi, but that scenario, a nightmare for Renzi, did not materialise in the end.Il Giornale, a conservative opposition newspaper, commented in a front-page headline: “Renzi wobbles, Grillo marches on Rome.”There was little joy for the prime minister from other key towns.In Milan, conservative Stefano Parisi drew almost level - at about the 41 percent mark - with the PD frontrunner Giuseppe Sala, forcing a second round contest that could easily lead to an upset.In Turin and Bologna, outgoing PD mayors secured smaller than expected first-round leads against conservative and M5S challengers. In Naples, where anti-government incumbent Luigi de Magistris looked set to win re-election in two weeks’ time, Renzi’s party slid into a poor third place.According Stefano Folli, chief political commentator for the La Repubblica newspaper, local election results were influenced by “economic and social uncertainties, unemployment that is not falling, a faltering economic recovery and collective fears on migration and security”. He said the results represent a warning sign ahead of the October referendum on constitutional reforms. Renzi has pledged to resign if he loses it.At the same time, talk of an M5S triumph must be qualified: its likely victory in Rome could prove to be a poisoned chalice. If the city’s deep-rooted problems get the better of the relatively inexperienced Raggi it could damage the party’s governing credentials.For a movement claiming to be preparing for national government, the M5S also fared remarkably poorly in other big cities like Naples and Milan, where it won no more than 10 percent of the votes.Sunday’s vote involved more than 13 million people - about a quarter of the electorate - in 1,342 municipalities.With polling stations opening from 7AM to 11PM at the end of a bank holiday weekend, there were expectations that not many would bother to cast ballots, but in the end turnout was not as low as feared: 62.1 percent against 67.4 percent in the previous elections.
DANIEL 7:23-24
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast (EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TRADING BLOCKS-10 WORLD REGIONS/TRADE BLOCS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings(10 NATIONS-10 WORLD DIVISION WORLD GOVERNMENT) that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.(THE EU (EUROPEAN UNION) TAKES OVER IRAQ WHICH HAS SPLIT INTO 3-SUNNI-KURD-SHIA PARTS-AND THE REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE IS BROUGHT BACK TOGETHER-THE TWO LEGS OF DANIEL WESTERN LEG AND THE ISLAMIC LEG COMBINED AS 1)
Let’s be honest: the union does not exist' By Lisbeth Kirk-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, 3. Jun, 11:12-Who would have thought it possible, these days, to find a European federalist with a sense of optimism? But Guy Verhofstadt, a Belgian politician who leads the liberal group in the European Parliament (EP), is precisely that.“I’m more optimistic than I was a few months ago,” he told EUobserver in an interview.Verhofstadt is one of the few EU politicians who openly calls for the creation of a single superstate. His EP group, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), is the fourth most important force in the assembly.He is optimistic because, he said, the Brexit vote will, either way lead to new talks on the EU treaty.“The whole discussion and referendum around British membership is an opportunity,” he said.“Why? Because if it is a No, we need to start negotiations. That’s article 50 in the [EU] treaty. If it is a Yes, we agreed with [British prime minister] Cameron to translate the special status for Britain into the treaty … and he promised not to make obstacles for the deepening of the union.”The “special status” is Cameron’s new deal on British opt-outs from various aspects of EU integration, such as the euro or closer political union.No matter what the result of the British referendum on 23 June, it will lead to changes in the European architecture, Verhofstadt said.Either the British stay in the EU but let the rest of it become a real union, he explained. Or it exits the EU, letting it become a real union.-The institutions, stupid-Verhofstadt, a former prime minister of Belgium, a federal state, knows how difficult that type of structure is to manage.Belgium, five years ago, set a world record by having no government for 19 months because Dutch and French speaking parties could not agree a coalition.He said the EU is in a period of multiple crises - in the areas of values, the economy, migration and terrorism and security. He said it also suffered from geopolitical weakness."People are falling back to nationalist and populist recipes, because they see a European Union that does not function, so, automatically, then you believe those who are saying that it is better to go back to the past and to the old nation states of the last century, because that worked”, he said.For Verhofstadt, the various crises stem from one problem - the dysfunctional nature of EU institutions.“The drama and the tragedy of all this is that what we have today is not a union … it is a confederation of nation states that is still based on unanimity rules and that cannot function,” he said.“Europe does not have institutions capable of dealing with today’s challenges. It’s very simple,” he said.-Associated membership-He said the Brexit debate had been foreseen by the EU’s “founding fathers”, the post-WWII politicians who launched the project.“They said we might have full membership and associated membership. It was foreseen in their constitution: A [draft] treaty [for a political community] in 1953. So they had already the solution for [these] problems”, Verhofstadt said.“Nation states don’t want to give up their power. It’s a transfer of power we are talking about essentially and they don’t want to do it”.He said that if the UK had a “special status” or “associated membership” then pro-EU capitals could continue “deepening the union”."That is the reason that I am more optimistic now."He noted that it usually takes the EU “10 years of problems” before it finds solution, giving the so-called banking union as an example.“In the beginning [German chancellor] Merkel said: ‘No’. But then, in 2011, suddenly there was fear that Spanish banks could fall. So, they [the Germans] said: ‘OK, now we need a banking union. As fast as possible.’ And in two to three years we made a banking union that had been impossible for 10 to 15 years before”, he said.He predicted that refugee relocation quotas would be the next example.“It will come. The question is how much damage we need before finally saying: ‘Yes, Yes. There’s no other way’.”-Germany must do more-With the Brexit vote marking a crossroads in European history, Vefhofstadt said German leadership is needed more than ever.“I think it is important that Germany involves itself more in European affairs. It is fundamental now,” said the liberal leader.“Let’s be honest, the union does not exist … and we have to make a fundamental shift to a federal union”, he said.“That is now on the table. We are talking about a separate budget and treasury for the eurozone, a real defence community. We need to make this shift and we need Germany for that”.
WORLD POWERS IN THE LAST DAYS (END OF AGE OF GRACE NOT THE WORLD)
EUROPEAN UNION-KING OF WEST-DAN 9:26-27,DAN 7:23-24,DAN 11:40,REV 13:1-10
EGYPT-KING OF THE SOUTH-DAN 11:40
RUSSIA-KING OF THE NORTH-EZEK 38:1-2,EZEK 39:1-3
CHINA-KING OF THE EAST-DAN 11:44,REV 9:16,18
VATICAN-RELIGIOUS LEADER-REV 13:11-18,REV 17:4-5,9,18
WORLD TERRORISM
GENESIS 6:11-13
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.(WORLD TERRORISM,MURDERS)(HAMAS IN HEBREW IS VIOLENCE)
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence (TERRORISM)(HAMAS) through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
GENESIS 16:11-12
11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her,(HAGAR) Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael;(FATHER OF THE ARAB/MUSLIMS) because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
12 And he (ISHMAEL-FATHER OF THE ARAB-MUSLIMS) will be a wild (DONKEY-JACKASS) man;(ISLAM IS A FAKE AND DANGEROUS SEX FOR MURDER CULT) his hand will be against every man,(ISLAM HATES EVERYONE) and every man's hand against him;(PROTECTING THEMSELVES FROM BEING BEHEADED) and he (ISHMAEL ARAB/MUSLIM) shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.(LITERAL-THE ARABS LIVE WITH THEIR BRETHERN JEWS)
ISAIAH 14:12-14
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer,(SATAN) son of the morning!(HEBREW-CRECENT MOON-ISLAM) how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I (SATAN HAS EYE TROUBLES) will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.(AND 1/3RD OF THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN FELL WITH SATAN AND BECAME DEMONS)
JOHN 16:2
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.(ISLAM MURDERS IN THE NAME OF MOON GOD ALLAH OF ISLAM)
Calgary Muslims welcome Ramadan with fasting and prayers-[CBC]-June 6, 2016-YAHOONEWS
Monday marks the beginning of Ramadan, the holiest month for Muslims around the world.Each year, it starts on the first day of the ninth month in the lunar calendar.During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn until sunset, Calgarian Shima Safwat tells CBC News."Here in Calgary it will be almost 18 hours of fasting, so it's a little bit challenging for everybody," she said.Safwat says Ramadan brings together the devout and the less than devout followers."It is the month when the Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. It is a kind of celebration of the Qur'an to get closer to God and to practice more your religion," she explains."It's a good opportunity for Muslims who are not practicing the whole year, to practice during Ramadan. It is a spiritual month to purify the soul and body."Sometimes Ramadan lasts for 30 days, sometimes 29, depending on the lunar calendar.Safwat says, it doesn't stop people from going to school or work, or living their lives."When we come back we should take some rest because it's a long day and then we start reading the Qur'an. We have 30 chapters of Qur'an so every day we have to finish a chapter. So by the end of Ramadan we will finish the whole Qur'an."She says when the sun goes down, dates are the common way to break the fast, mainly because of their nutritional value."After sunset we break our fast, with some dates and then we eat a little bit. Then we go to pray in the mosque. Prayer will start around 11:30 p.m. It takes around an hour. Then we go back home, eat a little bit and then wait for the dawn prayer and then start a new day," Safwat said.She says, once you get used to it, the long days without food or drink actually go quite quickly.-'Like one minute'-"To be honest, it's like one minute because there are lots of blessing and God gives you the power to continue your day in good shape," she said."It is not from you, it is from God."Children typically participate once they have reached a level of maturity or adulthood.Safwat says both of her children, her 14-year-old son and 16-year-old daughter, embraced the practice at the age of 10.However, there are some exceptions. Pregnant or nursing women, people who are travelling, are sick or work out of doors for longs hours aren't required to fast.-Eid al-Fitr celebration-At the end of Ramadan, there is huge three-day celebration called Eid al-Fitr."The day after, it's the big celebration," Safwat said with a smile."We eat a lot, we put new clothes on. We have to celebrate. In the morning we go out for prayer at 7:30 a.m. Very big prayer, everybody, even people who are not practicing, they love to come to celebrate."Lots of food, lots of sweets for the kids, balloons."Safwat said it's about renewal, kind of a reset for some Muslims that may not practice the faith the rest of the year."It is amazing," she said."It's about getting closer to God."
EU to put migration top of foreign policy agenda By Eszter Zalan-JUN 6,16-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 09:28-A new proposal by the European Commission puts stemming the flow of migrants in the centre of foreign relations with some neighbourhood countries by providing financial incentives for them to stop people flowing into Europe.The new communication by the EU executive, to be unveiled on Tuesday (7 June), suggests using visa liberalisation and trade policies with countries such as Tunisia, Jordan, Lebanon, Niger and Ethiopia as bargaining chips to stem the flow of migrants.The paper is to also propose to use an €8 billion fund over the next four years to help Middle Eastern and African countries on the frontline of the migration crisis, according to a report in the Financial Times.Under the plan, that fund could eventually be increased to €60 billion by contributions from member states and the private sector.A key issue with such countries is readmitting economic migrants who have been turned back by authorities in EU countries.The idea to set up arrangements with EU neighbourhood countries and to use financial and other perks for stemming the flow of migrants is based on the EU-Turkey deal that, along with closing down the borders in the Western Balkans, has managed to slow the influx of people to Europe.Italy recently also proposed using financial, trade and other tools in the EU’s foreign policy kit to set up deals aimed at stopping the flow of migrants.But critics warn that a similar attempt to tackle migration last year at the Valetta Summit with African leaders have yielded few results.They express doubt over linking development aid with migration policy because that could harm human rights and distort relations with aid recipient states. There are also concerns that the countries could use migration as blackmail to extract more financial support from the EU.Kenya, for one, has already threatened to close its Dadaab refugee camp, the largest in the world, unless it gets Turkey-type help from the EU.-Migrant islands-Meanwhile, Austria’s foreign minister has suggested that Greek islands should be turned into permanent holding centres for asylum seekers.Sebastian Kurz said in an interview with the Die Presse newspaper published on Sunday (5 June) that the EU could follow the “Australian example” to discourage migrants from setting out on the often dangerous journey to Europe.Under Australia's controversial immigration policy, asylum-seekers who try to reach Australia by boat are turned back or sent to Pacific camps in Nauru and Papua New Guinea where they are held indefinitely while their asylum claims are processed.Kurz, who hails from the centre-right Austrian People's Party (OVP), also said that all migrants who came into Europe illegally should lose their right to request international protection in order to deter others from making the journey.Over 205,000 people arrived to Europe by sea this year, according to the latest figures by the UN’s refugee agency. More than 2,500 people died trying to make the journey.Bulgaria reported a 20 percent spike in new arrivals in May.Hungary, which has erected fences along its southern borders to keep migrants out, has seen almost 400 people detained by police over the weekend for trying to cross into the country illegally, making weekly arrivals of around 900 the norm since February.
Greek court halts Syrian deportations to 'unsafe' Turkey By Nikolaj Nielsen-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, 3. Jun, 09:15-A Greek appeals committee this week ruled Turkey is not safe enough to return Syrian refugees, casting further doubt on the EU's migrant swap deal with Ankara.Nine Syrian refugees facing deportation will now remain in Greece following a decision earlier this week by an administrative appeals committee in Lesbos, a Greek island.German-based NGO Pro Asyl, which defended the nine people, said the appeals committee will issue more decisionslike that in the near future."There are a number of further positive decisions which have not been delivered yet," the NGO said on Wednesday (1 June).In a separate case, a Syrian, who said he was gay and risked being persecuted in Turkey, was told by Greek authorities on Thursday he would be returned. His appeal was rejected.The EU deal with Ankara, signed off in March, hinges on designating Turkey as a safe country to send all irregular migrants packing.Under the terms of the deal, the EU would resettle one Syrian refugee from Turkey for each one that is returned.Some 280 Syrians have been resettled to the EU as of late May. But only 441 of the 8,500 people who arrived on the Greek islands since the deal was signed have been returned.Amnesty International, in a report out on Friday (3 June), also said asylum seekers and refugees are being denied effective protection in Turkey.“The EU-Turkey deal is reckless and illegal," said John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International’s Director for Europe and Central Asia, in a statement.He said Turkey was already unable to respect the rights and meet the needs of over 3 million asylum-seekers and refugees."While there is value in supporting and encouraging Turkey to develop a fully functioning asylum system, the EU cannot act as if it already exists," he said.Over 1 million people arrived last year to seek international protection in Europe. Of those, around 850,000 landed on the Greek islands.
A Top Admiral Says China Has ‘No Fear’ Over Disputes in the South China Sea-[Time]-Simon Lewis-June 6, 2016-YAHOONEWS
Admiral Sun Jianguo says China "will not allow any infringement on its sovereignty"Beijing is not trying to make trouble in the South China Sea, but has “no fear” of maritime disputes with other governments in the region, a top Chinese naval officer says.Admiral Sun Jianguo of the People’s Liberation Army Navy made the comments in a speech Sunday, Reuters reports, during which he repeated China’s insistence that it doesn’t recognize the authority of a U.N. tribunal that is due to rule on a case brought by the Philippines over the two countries’ overlapping claims.“We do not make trouble, but we have no fear of trouble,” said Sun. China, he said, “will not allow any infringement on its sovereignty and security interest, or stay indifferent to some countries creating chaos in the South China Sea.”The speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore came a day ahead of the start of wide-ranging talks in Beijing on Monday between Chinese officials and a U.S. delegation led by Secretary of State John Kerry.China insists that the U.S. should stay out of the disputes, which Chinese officials say should be solved bilaterally between China and counterclaimants the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan.[Reuters]
REVELATION 8:7
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
Fort McMurray Canadian Tire working to reopen after helping firefighting effort-[CBC]-June 5, 2016-YAHOONEWS
Empty shelves line the Canadian Tire in Fort McMurray, but the dust has been wiped off.Employees and volunteers are working to reopen the store as the city comes back to life. Flames left the building untouched, yet the wildfire still managed to empty the shelves inside.When Fort McMurray evacuated last month, managers handed their keys to firefighters. Crews used the store's inventory of chainsaws, axes, fire extinguishers and work boots to counter the wildfire.As the flames moved away, bags of pet food went towards feeding the animals left behind.Once evacuees flooded back into the city, a group of employees dug out the supplies they needed.-Like spinning plates-Running the business is like spinning plates says Ray McDonald, who owns the Fort McMurray Canadian Tire.Normally, he divides his attention between a handful of tasks to make sure all departments are operating smoothly.Now, McDonald says he's doing his best not to let anything drop.Flames didn't get close enough to singe the building, but environmental testing done in the store after the fire passed showed particle pollution.When McDonald returned to Fort McMurray he faced a massive cleanup with just a fraction of his usual staff to help. Out of 115 full-time employees, less than 30 said they could take shifts.They worked with volunteers to wipe down the store's surfaces and solid items, to vacuum the vents. They threw out all food and anything made of absorbent material."It is a tremendous amount of inventory," McDonald said.-A painful way of doing business-Since customers aren't allowed into the store yet, they lined up outside. Store runners take each person's order individually, go inside, find the required item, wipe it down, and then carry it out to the customer.McDonald describes it as a painful business model.He's optimistic the store will reopen to customers on June 7, and that the shelves will be restocked by the end of the month."I'm hoping a month from now this will be a distant memory," he said. "We have a community that has that strong background already, so I feel that we're in good shape going forward."We will rebuild."As more and more evacuees return to Fort McMurray, McDonald says he wants to have the tools ready to do just that.@ZoeHTodd
Residents return as Los Angeles-area wildfire tamed-[The Canadian Press]-The Associated Press-June 6, 2016-YAHOONEWS
CALABASAS, Calif. - A wildfire sparked when a car accident brought down power lines near an upscale suburb of Los Angeles has been reduced to mostly embers, and thousands of people driven from their homes have all been cleared to return.A weekend that arrived with blazing heat went out with milder temperatures. That allowed firefighters to get the blaze near the prosperous and semi-rural neighbourhoods of Calabasas 80 per cent contained by Sunday night up from 30 per cent at daybreak.Firefighters hiked up steep canyons to get to the fire, whose growth stopped at just over 500 acres, and used aircraft to make water drops along its edges, Los Angeles County Deputy Fire Chief John Tripp said.At the height of the fire, about 3,000 homes were threatened and about 5,000 residents were under evacuation orders. The fire destroyed one commercial building, Tripp said.To the southeast, a smoky wildfire burning in Riverside County was 65 per cent contained Sunday. The blaze that broke out a day earlier along Interstate 15 in Temecula charred about 140 acres of dry brush.To the north in Monterey County, a wildfire that has charred 3,500 acres of grass and brush in the Los Padres National Forest has prompted some evacuations and is threatening structures.About 400 firefighters battled the blaze Sunday on land and by air with air tankers and helicopters. The fire started Saturday afternoon west of King City. It is 10 per cent contained.
OZONE DEPLETION JUDGEMENT ON THE EARTH DUE TO SIN
ISAIAH 30:26-27
26 Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold,(7X OR 7-DEGREES HOTTER) as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people,(ISRAEL) and healeth the stroke of their wound.
27 Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire:
MATTHEW 24:21-22,29
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened,(DAY LIGHT HOURS SHORTENED) there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake (ISRAELS SAKE) those days shall be shortened (Daylight hours shortened)(THE ASTEROID HITS EARTH HERE)
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
REVELATION 16:7-9
7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
India’s Crippling Heat Wave Continues With Temperatures Over 116°F-[Time]-Rishi Iyengar-June 6, 2016-YAHOONEWS
Despite the onset of the monsoon in several parts of the country, India continues to reel under a brutal heat wave that has now lasted more than two months and claimed dozens of lives.On Monday, temperatures rose to more than 47°C (116.6°F) in the western state of Rajasthan — which also recorded India’s hottest day ever at 123.8°F last month — the Press Trust of India reported.Some respite is expected, however, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicting the onset of annual rains, called the Southwest Monsoon, across India later this week. Local Met departments in the capital Delhi, where temperatures rose to 42.6°C (108.7°F), also anticipated thunderstorms late Monday, as did authorities in other north Indian states like Punjab, Haryana and the union territory of Chandigarh.More than 130 people have now died from the heat wave and resultant drought affecting large swathes of the country.[NDTV]
STORMS HURRICANES-TORNADOES
LUKE 21:25-26
25 And there shall be signs in the sun,(HEATING UP-SOLAR ECLIPSES) and in the moon,(MAN ON MOON-LUNAR ECLIPSES) and in the stars;(ASTEROIDS ETC) and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear,(TORNADOES,HURRICANES,STORMS) and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth:(DESTRUCTION) for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.(FROM QUAKES,NUKES ETC)
Tropical Storm Colin threatens Florida, U.S. Southeast-[Reuters]-By Letitia Stein-June 6, 2016-YAHOONEWS
TAMPA, Fla. (Reuters) - Florida braced for flooding and strong winds as Tropical Storm Colin churned toward the state's northern Gulf Coast on Monday, and was expected to make landfall later in the day before crossing the U.S. Southeast.Tropical storm warnings were in effect for the state's central and northern coastlines as Colin, which was expected to rumble through the Gulf of Mexico, gusted to around 50 miles per hour (85 kph), the National Hurricane Center in Miami said.A tropical storm watch extended to coastal Georgia and South Carolina, which were expected to be in the storm's path overnight Tuesday. Forecasters warned of dangerous surf conditions and the potential for flooding.The storm, expected to speed up later in the day, was on track to reach the Big Bend region in the northern part of the state on Monday afternoon or evening.Fears of storm surges exacerbated by high tide prompted voluntary evacuations in low-lying areas of Franklin County, Florida, about 70 miles (112 kilometers) southwest of Tallahassee.Flooding and isolated tornadoes threatened densely populated communities from south of the Tampa Bay region through Jacksonville, according to the National Weather Service.Colin is part of a brisk start to the Atlantic hurricane season running through Nov. 30. Over the U.S. Memorial Day holiday weekend, the Carolinas were lashed by heavy rain and winds from Tropical Storm Bonnie.At 8 a.m. EDT (noon GMT) on Monday, Colin was located about 315 miles (505 kilometers) west-southwest of Tampa. It was moving north-northeast at 14 miles per hour (22 kilometers per hour).(Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)
U.S. Gulf of Mexico oil producers don't expect storm impact-[Reuters]-June 6, 2016-YAHOONEWS
HOUSTON (Reuters) - Gulf of Mexico offshore oil producer Shell Oil Co said on Sunday Tropical Storm Colin was forecast to miss the company's production platforms before striking Florida on Monday.The U.S. National Hurricane Center forecasts Colin, which became a tropical storm on Sunday afternoon, will strike the Gulf Coast of Florida on Monday night."Based on the current forecast there is no impact expected for our offshore assets, but we will continue to monitor and will make decisions accordingly," said Ray Fisher, spokesman for Shell Oil, the U.S. unit of Royal Dutch Shell Plc .Oil and natural gas producers in the Gulf will shut in production and evacuate workers when tropical cyclones threaten to churn production areas, primarily off the coasts of Louisiana and Texas.Chevron Corp said it was monitoring Colin's path. Exxon Mobil Corp is also monitoring the storm's progress.The Gulf of Mexico is home to 17 percent of U.S. crude output and 5 percent of dry natural gas output daily, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Both of these amounts have decreased as onshore oil and gas production ramped up in big shale plays.More than 45 percent of the nation's refining capacity is located along the U.S. Gulf Coast, which also is home to 51 percent of total U.S. natural gas processing capability.Colin is not forecast to strike Gulf Coast refining and natural gas processing hubs.(Reporting by Erwin Seba; Editing by Richard Pullin)
Ninth Fort Hood soldier killed in Texas floods identified-[Reuters]-June 5, 2016-YAHOONEWS
(Reuters) - A 25-year-old specialist from California was the ninth soldier at the Fort Hood Army post killed last week when a military vehicle overturned in flood waters, officials said on Sunday.Yingming Sun was among those who died when a military vehicle overturned in a flood-swollen creek on June 2 at the military post in central Texas, the Fort Hood base said in a statement. The names of the other eight soldiers killed in the incident were released on Saturday.Three soldiers were rescued from the water and survived. The accident that occurred at a low-water crossing during a training exercise remains under investigation by the U.S. Army.Torrential rains that deluged Texas last week resulted in at least 16 weather-related deaths.(Reporting by Letitia Stein in Tampa, Fla.; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli)
Philpott: Provincial assisted dying regulations do not provide enough clarity-[thecanadianpress.com]-June 6, 2016-YAHOONEWS
OTTAWA - Health Minister Jane Philpott is telling health care providers gathered in Ottawa today that provincial guidelines and regulations on doctor-assisted dying do not provide enough clarity and protection to those who may now be asked to help their patients die.In a speech to a national health leadership conference this morning, Philpott reminded the room that doctor-assisted dying now becomes legal in Canada after the federal government missed the deadline the Supreme Court gave them to enact legislation responding to its landmark ruling on physician-assisted death.Medical regulators in every province have already issued guidelines for physicians on providing assistance in dying, based on the eligibility criteria outlined by the Supreme Court.Those rules impose safeguards similar to — and in some cases, even stronger than — those proposed in C-14.That bill is now undergoing scrutiny by senators, who are expected to hear today from a constitutional expert who will say C-14 does not comply with the Supreme Court ruling because it restricts access to people who are already near death.The government is urging the Senate to pass the law quickly, arguing the legislation is urgently needed to protect health care professionals and vulnerable people.
Rainbow flags fill downtown Moose Jaw as city celebrates first pride parade-[CBC]-June 5, 2016-YAHOONEWS
In many ways this weekend's pride parade in Moose Jaw was like many others you see in Canadian cities.There was a large crowd of people marching down the street while waving flags as dance music echoed through the city.You could spot drag queens dressed in pink sequins, women in feather boas and kids with rainbow flag tattoos decorating their cheeks. All of this, however, is new to Moose Jaw. The 2016 pride parade is the first for the city of 33,000."I'm just beyond words right now," Joe Wickenhauser, executive director of Moose Jaw Pride, said when asked about the effort that went into the event.During the parade on Saturday, Wickenhauser pumped up the crowd while wearing an inflatable unicorn and a T-shirt with the slogan: "Keep calm and pride on."The parade is a second first for Moose Jaw Pride. The organization opened a community centre in April."There's just a lot of people in our community that support LGBT people," he said."We're just really excited to have this venue — this opportunity — for people to all come together and say, 'You know, it's 2016. It's time to embrace gender and sexual diversity and celebrate it.'"-Honouring 1978 protest-The parade also paid homage to past struggles.The route was the same one people walked in a 1978 gay rights protest in Moose Jaw. Recalling that time, Regina's Roger Carriere — who was there — said the protest was organized because a well-known, anti-gay activist was on the way to Moose Jaw with her "Save Our Children" campaign. "Anita Bryant and her colleagues were on a crusade across Canada to prevent legal protection of gay men and lesbians," said Carriere.He said more than 100 people were in the protest which felt, to him, like a solemn affair.Carriere also remembers how some people were fearful about participating."Certainly in the march there were some people who seemed concerned about being identified," Carriere said. "One fellow had a paper bag over his head. A woman had very large sunglasses."Carriere led this weekend's pride parade as the Grand Marshal. "In essence that march instilled pride," Carriere said Saturday at the parade, adding he hoped people were feeling that emotion again — 38 years later.
Police van driver goes on trial for black man's death-[Associated Press]-JULIET LINDERMAN-June 5, 2016-YAHOONEWS
BALTIMORE (AP) — The stakes are high in the upcoming trial for an officer who prosecutors say bears the most responsibility for the death of Freddie Gray, a young black man whose spine was snapped in the back of a police transport wagon.The van driver, Officer Caesar Goodson, faces second-degree murder and other charges. He will also face buck-passing from fellow officers who have already testified in two previous trials that if anyone was responsible for ensuring Gray’s safety, it was him.The officer faces 30 years in prison if he’s convicted of the murder charge. If prosecutors fail to secure a guilty verdict, it will be the third straight trial in which they haven’t gotten a favorable decision: The first trial ended in a hung jury and the second finished with an acquitted last month.Prosecutors say Goodson was grossly negligent when he failed to buckle Gray into a seat belt and call for medical aid during Gray’s 45-minute ride in the back of Goodson’s transport van April 12, 2015. But with no eye witnesses and very little physical evidence, experts say the government could be facing an uphill battle.“It would be devastating for the state to lose Goodson’s trial because there’s no question that the ultimate responsibility lies with the van driver,” said Warren Alperstein, a Baltimore attorney who has been closely following the case.Gray died a week after he was injured in the van. His death prompted protests and civil unrest in the streets of Baltimore, and his name became a national rallying cry for people angry over officers’ mistreatment of African Americans.Gray was arrested in West Baltimore after making eye contact with a bicycle officer and running away. Once he was handcuffed and placed inside the van, witnesses have testified that Gray began to scream and kick so violently he shook the wagon. Two blocks from the arrest site, the wagon stopped again, and three officers took Gray out of the van to put him in leg shackles. They then placed him on the floor of the van, head-first and on his belly. He was never buckled into a seat belt, as required by department policy.The van made six stops in total during the trip from the site of his arrest to the Western District station house. Goodson is the only officer present at each of the stops. At one point, Goodson stopped the van to check on Gray without any other officers there.Goodson, 46, faces second-degree “depraved-heart” murder, manslaughter, assault, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment charges. Prosecutors say that Goodson was so negligent in his failure to buckle Gray into a seat belt that he disregarded the apparent risk to Gray’s life and wellbeing.Officer William Porter, whose trial ended in a hung jury in December, testified during his trial that he told Goodson at one of the stops to take Gray to the hospital, but Goodson didn’t. Instead, Goodson made another stop to pick up a second prisoner.Goodson recently filed a motion seeking to block prosecutors from entering into evidence statements Porter made to an investigator. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Monday and jury selection is expected to start Tuesday.Goodson is the only officer who chose not to make a statement to investigators.“This is unlike the other trials, where at least the state had a preview as to what the defense might be or what the defendant might say on the witness stand,” said Steve Levin, a Baltimore attorney who is familiar but unaffiliated with the case.“All the stops, it could work in Goodson’s favor because it demonstrates that he was concerned about his prisoner,” Levin said. “At the same time, it could work in the state’s favor because prosecutors could argue that Officer Goodson saw Mr. Gray several times and he saw that he was injured and needed medical aid, and that he was so concerned that he kept checking on Gray.”Another key difference between Goodson’s trial and Officer Edward Nero, who was acquitted last month, is who will decide. Nero opted for a bench trial, while Goodson could place his fate in hands of a jury. Court officials have indicated that jury selection will begin Tuesday, however Goodson could still opt for a judge trial.David Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor familiar with the case, said if he chooses a jury trial, selecting the panel will be a crucial process.“That’s where people’s sympathies and experiences come into play,” he said. “This will be critical, between pretrial publicity, preconceived notions about law enforcement and people and crime and what an officer’s job is. It’ll all come into play here.”
No charges against mother in Cincinnati gorilla case: prosecutor-[Reuters]-By Ginny McCabe-June 6, 2016-YAHOONEWS
CINCINNATI (Reuters) - No criminal charges will be filed against the mother of the 3-year-old boy who fell into a gorilla enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo, causing zookeepers to kill an endangered gorilla to protect the child, an Ohio prosecutor said on Monday.A 17-year-old endangered western lowland silverback gorilla named Harambe was shot by zoo staff in the minutes after the boy fell on May 28, touching off a storm of criticism aimed at both the zoo and the boy's mother.Some critics had called for criminal charges against the mother, who was with the boy at the zoo, for reckless endangerment. Police and prosecutors did not provide the name of the mother, but multiple media reports identified her as 32-year-old Michelle Gregg, who works as a preschool administrator.The boy suffered a concussion and some scrapes but escaped serious injury. The family previously said it does not intend to sue the zoo."I am very sorry about the loss of this gorilla but nothing about this situation rises to the level of a criminal charge," Hamilton County prosecutor Joseph Deters said on Monday."Had she been in the bathroom smoking crack and let her kids run around the zoo that'd be a different story," he told reporters on Monday. "She was attending to her children by all witness accounts and the 3-year-old just scampered off."He said the mother, according to witnesses, never placed her son in danger and only turned away for a few seconds to deal with another child."If anyone doesn't believe a 3-year-old can scamper off very quickly, they've never had kids because they can and they do," he added.Deters also said he was glad the zoo had changed the gorilla enclosure to prevent a repeat of the incident. It will reopen Tuesday with a higher barrier and added knotted rope netting.The family was pleased with the prosecutor's decision."This is one more step in allowing us to put this tragic episode behind us and return to our normal family life," the family said in a statement.The boy was at the zoo with his mother, three sisters, ages 7, 4 and 1, and family friends when he climbed over a 3-foot barrier and fell 15 feet into a moat, according to the Hamilton County prosecutor's office and witnesses.The gorilla dragged the child through the enclosure before zoo officials shot him.(Reporting by Fiona Ortiz, Suzannah Gonzales and Justin Madden in Chicago; Editing by Bernadette Baum and Cynthia Osterman)
Ohio prosecutor to decide on charges in Cincinnati Zoo case-[Associated Press]-June 6, 2016-YAHOONEWS
CINCINNATI (AP) — An Ohio prosecutor plans to release his decision Monday on whether he will pursue charges against the family of a 3-year-old boy who got into the Cincinnati Zoo's gorilla exhibit, leading to the fatal shooting of an endangered gorilla to protect the child.Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters has scheduled an afternoon news conference, in which he's expected to discuss his conclusions after a review into the family's actions.Legal experts have said that prosecution on child endangerment or similar charges seems unlikely. The family has declined to comment.The zoo says it was the first such breach in Gorilla World's 38 years of existence, but the exhibit will reopen Tuesday with a higher, reinforced barrier. The boy apparently climbed over the barrier May 28 before falling about 15 feet into a shallow moat.A special response team shot and killed the gorilla, 17-year-old Harambe, after concluding the boy's life was at stake.A Cincinnati police report identifies the boy's mother as Michelle Gregg, 32, who works at a preschool near Cincinnati. The child's father isn't named in the report, and it's unclear whether he was at the zoo at the time of the incident.The boy's family has said he is doing well at home after being treated at a hospital. Police said he had scrapes on his head and knee.Police released 911 tapes last week that highlighted the confusion and panic in the moments when the boy plunged into the gorilla exhibit."He's dragging my son! I can't watch this!" a woman says in the 911 call. As she pleads for help, she shouts at her son repeatedly: "Be calm!"The police report states that witnesses said the gorilla initially appeared to be protecting the child, but after onlookers began screaming, he became "agitated and scared" and began dragging the child.The boy's family has expressed gratitude to the zoo for protecting his life.
Russia not cooperating on MH17 inquiry-By EUOBSERVER
4. Jun, 09:49-Investigators into the MH17 disaster in Ukraine in 2014 on Friday complained that Russia is withholding information on Buk missiles, the type of projectile believed to have shot down the plane. The JIT - a team of criminal sleuths from the Netherlands, Australia, Malaysia, Belgium and Ukraine - said it will present its "first results" after the summer on who was responsible for the tragedy, which cost 298 lives.
France urges EU co-ordination of South China Sea patrols-By EUOBSERVER-JUN 6,16
Today, 08:29-France aims to push European Union countries to coordinate navy patrols in the disputed South China Sea, French defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said at the Shangri-La Asian defence forum in Singapore on Sunday, according to Bloomberg. A senior French official travelling with the minister said France will discuss plans with EU partners in coming weeks, with a focus on guaranteeing that EU navies regularly crisscross the waters.
Greek MPs adopt bailout measures-By EUOBSERVER
3. Jun, 09:30-Greek MPs adopted on Thurday evening measures required by creditors to confirm the unblocking of a € 7.5 billion tranche of aid this month. They agreed to abolish an aid on small pensions and to allow stated-guaranteed loans to be sold by banks when they have not been repaid. They also adopted a framework for privatisations. All MPs from the 153-strong government majority voted in favour.
Five Star candidate poised to become Rome's new mayor By Alvise Armellini-jun 6,16-euobserver
Rome, Today, 08:52-The first round of Italian local elections on Sunday (5 June) has left prime minister Matteo Renzi humbled and his biggest rivals - the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) - triumphant.The party founded by comedian Beppe Grillo scored a larger than expected victory in Rome and looks all but assured of conquering power in the capital after a run-off vote due on 19 June.“This is only the half time result, there will be a final sprint, but it is a historic moment,” the M5S’ mayoral candidate in the capital city, Virginia Raggi, said in an overnight statement.“Romans are ready to turn over a page and we are ready to govern … ladies and gentlemen: the wind is changing, the wind is changing!”, she said.Raggi, a 37 year-old lawyer, could become Rome’s first-ever female mayor and the youngest in more than 100 years.Her success comes on the back of a major local corruption scandal known as Mafia Capitale, as well as deep resentment against Renzi’s Democratic Party (PD), which has had a dismal record in office since winning the last municipal elections in 2013.Some of its cadres were arrested and are facing trial over Mafia Capitale bribery accusations.Outgoing Mayor Ignazio Marino came out clean, but was forced out by his own party in October over an expenses scandal, and after failing to get to grips with Rome’s endemic traffic, waste management and debt problems.With counting almost complete, Raggi was said to have won about 35.5 percent, against 25 percent for the PD’s Roberto Giachetti.The ruling party’s candidate looked at one point to have been pushed into third place by hard-right candidate Giorgia Meloni, and thus excluded from the second round square-off with Raggi, but that scenario, a nightmare for Renzi, did not materialise in the end.Il Giornale, a conservative opposition newspaper, commented in a front-page headline: “Renzi wobbles, Grillo marches on Rome.”There was little joy for the prime minister from other key towns.In Milan, conservative Stefano Parisi drew almost level - at about the 41 percent mark - with the PD frontrunner Giuseppe Sala, forcing a second round contest that could easily lead to an upset.In Turin and Bologna, outgoing PD mayors secured smaller than expected first-round leads against conservative and M5S challengers. In Naples, where anti-government incumbent Luigi de Magistris looked set to win re-election in two weeks’ time, Renzi’s party slid into a poor third place.According Stefano Folli, chief political commentator for the La Repubblica newspaper, local election results were influenced by “economic and social uncertainties, unemployment that is not falling, a faltering economic recovery and collective fears on migration and security”. He said the results represent a warning sign ahead of the October referendum on constitutional reforms. Renzi has pledged to resign if he loses it.At the same time, talk of an M5S triumph must be qualified: its likely victory in Rome could prove to be a poisoned chalice. If the city’s deep-rooted problems get the better of the relatively inexperienced Raggi it could damage the party’s governing credentials.For a movement claiming to be preparing for national government, the M5S also fared remarkably poorly in other big cities like Naples and Milan, where it won no more than 10 percent of the votes.Sunday’s vote involved more than 13 million people - about a quarter of the electorate - in 1,342 municipalities.With polling stations opening from 7AM to 11PM at the end of a bank holiday weekend, there were expectations that not many would bother to cast ballots, but in the end turnout was not as low as feared: 62.1 percent against 67.4 percent in the previous elections.
DANIEL 7:23-24
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast (EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TRADING BLOCKS-10 WORLD REGIONS/TRADE BLOCS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings(10 NATIONS-10 WORLD DIVISION WORLD GOVERNMENT) that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.(THE EU (EUROPEAN UNION) TAKES OVER IRAQ WHICH HAS SPLIT INTO 3-SUNNI-KURD-SHIA PARTS-AND THE REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE IS BROUGHT BACK TOGETHER-THE TWO LEGS OF DANIEL WESTERN LEG AND THE ISLAMIC LEG COMBINED AS 1)
Let’s be honest: the union does not exist' By Lisbeth Kirk-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, 3. Jun, 11:12-Who would have thought it possible, these days, to find a European federalist with a sense of optimism? But Guy Verhofstadt, a Belgian politician who leads the liberal group in the European Parliament (EP), is precisely that.“I’m more optimistic than I was a few months ago,” he told EUobserver in an interview.Verhofstadt is one of the few EU politicians who openly calls for the creation of a single superstate. His EP group, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), is the fourth most important force in the assembly.He is optimistic because, he said, the Brexit vote will, either way lead to new talks on the EU treaty.“The whole discussion and referendum around British membership is an opportunity,” he said.“Why? Because if it is a No, we need to start negotiations. That’s article 50 in the [EU] treaty. If it is a Yes, we agreed with [British prime minister] Cameron to translate the special status for Britain into the treaty … and he promised not to make obstacles for the deepening of the union.”The “special status” is Cameron’s new deal on British opt-outs from various aspects of EU integration, such as the euro or closer political union.No matter what the result of the British referendum on 23 June, it will lead to changes in the European architecture, Verhofstadt said.Either the British stay in the EU but let the rest of it become a real union, he explained. Or it exits the EU, letting it become a real union.-The institutions, stupid-Verhofstadt, a former prime minister of Belgium, a federal state, knows how difficult that type of structure is to manage.Belgium, five years ago, set a world record by having no government for 19 months because Dutch and French speaking parties could not agree a coalition.He said the EU is in a period of multiple crises - in the areas of values, the economy, migration and terrorism and security. He said it also suffered from geopolitical weakness."People are falling back to nationalist and populist recipes, because they see a European Union that does not function, so, automatically, then you believe those who are saying that it is better to go back to the past and to the old nation states of the last century, because that worked”, he said.For Verhofstadt, the various crises stem from one problem - the dysfunctional nature of EU institutions.“The drama and the tragedy of all this is that what we have today is not a union … it is a confederation of nation states that is still based on unanimity rules and that cannot function,” he said.“Europe does not have institutions capable of dealing with today’s challenges. It’s very simple,” he said.-Associated membership-He said the Brexit debate had been foreseen by the EU’s “founding fathers”, the post-WWII politicians who launched the project.“They said we might have full membership and associated membership. It was foreseen in their constitution: A [draft] treaty [for a political community] in 1953. So they had already the solution for [these] problems”, Verhofstadt said.“Nation states don’t want to give up their power. It’s a transfer of power we are talking about essentially and they don’t want to do it”.He said that if the UK had a “special status” or “associated membership” then pro-EU capitals could continue “deepening the union”."That is the reason that I am more optimistic now."He noted that it usually takes the EU “10 years of problems” before it finds solution, giving the so-called banking union as an example.“In the beginning [German chancellor] Merkel said: ‘No’. But then, in 2011, suddenly there was fear that Spanish banks could fall. So, they [the Germans] said: ‘OK, now we need a banking union. As fast as possible.’ And in two to three years we made a banking union that had been impossible for 10 to 15 years before”, he said.He predicted that refugee relocation quotas would be the next example.“It will come. The question is how much damage we need before finally saying: ‘Yes, Yes. There’s no other way’.”-Germany must do more-With the Brexit vote marking a crossroads in European history, Vefhofstadt said German leadership is needed more than ever.“I think it is important that Germany involves itself more in European affairs. It is fundamental now,” said the liberal leader.“Let’s be honest, the union does not exist … and we have to make a fundamental shift to a federal union”, he said.“That is now on the table. We are talking about a separate budget and treasury for the eurozone, a real defence community. We need to make this shift and we need Germany for that”.
WORLD POWERS IN THE LAST DAYS (END OF AGE OF GRACE NOT THE WORLD)
EUROPEAN UNION-KING OF WEST-DAN 9:26-27,DAN 7:23-24,DAN 11:40,REV 13:1-10
EGYPT-KING OF THE SOUTH-DAN 11:40
RUSSIA-KING OF THE NORTH-EZEK 38:1-2,EZEK 39:1-3
CHINA-KING OF THE EAST-DAN 11:44,REV 9:16,18
VATICAN-RELIGIOUS LEADER-REV 13:11-18,REV 17:4-5,9,18
WORLD TERRORISM
GENESIS 6:11-13
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.(WORLD TERRORISM,MURDERS)(HAMAS IN HEBREW IS VIOLENCE)
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence (TERRORISM)(HAMAS) through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
GENESIS 16:11-12
11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her,(HAGAR) Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael;(FATHER OF THE ARAB/MUSLIMS) because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
12 And he (ISHMAEL-FATHER OF THE ARAB-MUSLIMS) will be a wild (DONKEY-JACKASS) man;(ISLAM IS A FAKE AND DANGEROUS SEX FOR MURDER CULT) his hand will be against every man,(ISLAM HATES EVERYONE) and every man's hand against him;(PROTECTING THEMSELVES FROM BEING BEHEADED) and he (ISHMAEL ARAB/MUSLIM) shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.(LITERAL-THE ARABS LIVE WITH THEIR BRETHERN JEWS)
ISAIAH 14:12-14
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer,(SATAN) son of the morning!(HEBREW-CRECENT MOON-ISLAM) how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I (SATAN HAS EYE TROUBLES) will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.(AND 1/3RD OF THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN FELL WITH SATAN AND BECAME DEMONS)
JOHN 16:2
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.(ISLAM MURDERS IN THE NAME OF MOON GOD ALLAH OF ISLAM)
Calgary Muslims welcome Ramadan with fasting and prayers-[CBC]-June 6, 2016-YAHOONEWS
Monday marks the beginning of Ramadan, the holiest month for Muslims around the world.Each year, it starts on the first day of the ninth month in the lunar calendar.During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn until sunset, Calgarian Shima Safwat tells CBC News."Here in Calgary it will be almost 18 hours of fasting, so it's a little bit challenging for everybody," she said.Safwat says Ramadan brings together the devout and the less than devout followers."It is the month when the Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. It is a kind of celebration of the Qur'an to get closer to God and to practice more your religion," she explains."It's a good opportunity for Muslims who are not practicing the whole year, to practice during Ramadan. It is a spiritual month to purify the soul and body."Sometimes Ramadan lasts for 30 days, sometimes 29, depending on the lunar calendar.Safwat says, it doesn't stop people from going to school or work, or living their lives."When we come back we should take some rest because it's a long day and then we start reading the Qur'an. We have 30 chapters of Qur'an so every day we have to finish a chapter. So by the end of Ramadan we will finish the whole Qur'an."She says when the sun goes down, dates are the common way to break the fast, mainly because of their nutritional value."After sunset we break our fast, with some dates and then we eat a little bit. Then we go to pray in the mosque. Prayer will start around 11:30 p.m. It takes around an hour. Then we go back home, eat a little bit and then wait for the dawn prayer and then start a new day," Safwat said.She says, once you get used to it, the long days without food or drink actually go quite quickly.-'Like one minute'-"To be honest, it's like one minute because there are lots of blessing and God gives you the power to continue your day in good shape," she said."It is not from you, it is from God."Children typically participate once they have reached a level of maturity or adulthood.Safwat says both of her children, her 14-year-old son and 16-year-old daughter, embraced the practice at the age of 10.However, there are some exceptions. Pregnant or nursing women, people who are travelling, are sick or work out of doors for longs hours aren't required to fast.-Eid al-Fitr celebration-At the end of Ramadan, there is huge three-day celebration called Eid al-Fitr."The day after, it's the big celebration," Safwat said with a smile."We eat a lot, we put new clothes on. We have to celebrate. In the morning we go out for prayer at 7:30 a.m. Very big prayer, everybody, even people who are not practicing, they love to come to celebrate."Lots of food, lots of sweets for the kids, balloons."Safwat said it's about renewal, kind of a reset for some Muslims that may not practice the faith the rest of the year."It is amazing," she said."It's about getting closer to God."
EU to put migration top of foreign policy agenda By Eszter Zalan-JUN 6,16-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 09:28-A new proposal by the European Commission puts stemming the flow of migrants in the centre of foreign relations with some neighbourhood countries by providing financial incentives for them to stop people flowing into Europe.The new communication by the EU executive, to be unveiled on Tuesday (7 June), suggests using visa liberalisation and trade policies with countries such as Tunisia, Jordan, Lebanon, Niger and Ethiopia as bargaining chips to stem the flow of migrants.The paper is to also propose to use an €8 billion fund over the next four years to help Middle Eastern and African countries on the frontline of the migration crisis, according to a report in the Financial Times.Under the plan, that fund could eventually be increased to €60 billion by contributions from member states and the private sector.A key issue with such countries is readmitting economic migrants who have been turned back by authorities in EU countries.The idea to set up arrangements with EU neighbourhood countries and to use financial and other perks for stemming the flow of migrants is based on the EU-Turkey deal that, along with closing down the borders in the Western Balkans, has managed to slow the influx of people to Europe.Italy recently also proposed using financial, trade and other tools in the EU’s foreign policy kit to set up deals aimed at stopping the flow of migrants.But critics warn that a similar attempt to tackle migration last year at the Valetta Summit with African leaders have yielded few results.They express doubt over linking development aid with migration policy because that could harm human rights and distort relations with aid recipient states. There are also concerns that the countries could use migration as blackmail to extract more financial support from the EU.Kenya, for one, has already threatened to close its Dadaab refugee camp, the largest in the world, unless it gets Turkey-type help from the EU.-Migrant islands-Meanwhile, Austria’s foreign minister has suggested that Greek islands should be turned into permanent holding centres for asylum seekers.Sebastian Kurz said in an interview with the Die Presse newspaper published on Sunday (5 June) that the EU could follow the “Australian example” to discourage migrants from setting out on the often dangerous journey to Europe.Under Australia's controversial immigration policy, asylum-seekers who try to reach Australia by boat are turned back or sent to Pacific camps in Nauru and Papua New Guinea where they are held indefinitely while their asylum claims are processed.Kurz, who hails from the centre-right Austrian People's Party (OVP), also said that all migrants who came into Europe illegally should lose their right to request international protection in order to deter others from making the journey.Over 205,000 people arrived to Europe by sea this year, according to the latest figures by the UN’s refugee agency. More than 2,500 people died trying to make the journey.Bulgaria reported a 20 percent spike in new arrivals in May.Hungary, which has erected fences along its southern borders to keep migrants out, has seen almost 400 people detained by police over the weekend for trying to cross into the country illegally, making weekly arrivals of around 900 the norm since February.
Greek court halts Syrian deportations to 'unsafe' Turkey By Nikolaj Nielsen-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, 3. Jun, 09:15-A Greek appeals committee this week ruled Turkey is not safe enough to return Syrian refugees, casting further doubt on the EU's migrant swap deal with Ankara.Nine Syrian refugees facing deportation will now remain in Greece following a decision earlier this week by an administrative appeals committee in Lesbos, a Greek island.German-based NGO Pro Asyl, which defended the nine people, said the appeals committee will issue more decisionslike that in the near future."There are a number of further positive decisions which have not been delivered yet," the NGO said on Wednesday (1 June).In a separate case, a Syrian, who said he was gay and risked being persecuted in Turkey, was told by Greek authorities on Thursday he would be returned. His appeal was rejected.The EU deal with Ankara, signed off in March, hinges on designating Turkey as a safe country to send all irregular migrants packing.Under the terms of the deal, the EU would resettle one Syrian refugee from Turkey for each one that is returned.Some 280 Syrians have been resettled to the EU as of late May. But only 441 of the 8,500 people who arrived on the Greek islands since the deal was signed have been returned.Amnesty International, in a report out on Friday (3 June), also said asylum seekers and refugees are being denied effective protection in Turkey.“The EU-Turkey deal is reckless and illegal," said John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International’s Director for Europe and Central Asia, in a statement.He said Turkey was already unable to respect the rights and meet the needs of over 3 million asylum-seekers and refugees."While there is value in supporting and encouraging Turkey to develop a fully functioning asylum system, the EU cannot act as if it already exists," he said.Over 1 million people arrived last year to seek international protection in Europe. Of those, around 850,000 landed on the Greek islands.
A Top Admiral Says China Has ‘No Fear’ Over Disputes in the South China Sea-[Time]-Simon Lewis-June 6, 2016-YAHOONEWS
Admiral Sun Jianguo says China "will not allow any infringement on its sovereignty"Beijing is not trying to make trouble in the South China Sea, but has “no fear” of maritime disputes with other governments in the region, a top Chinese naval officer says.Admiral Sun Jianguo of the People’s Liberation Army Navy made the comments in a speech Sunday, Reuters reports, during which he repeated China’s insistence that it doesn’t recognize the authority of a U.N. tribunal that is due to rule on a case brought by the Philippines over the two countries’ overlapping claims.“We do not make trouble, but we have no fear of trouble,” said Sun. China, he said, “will not allow any infringement on its sovereignty and security interest, or stay indifferent to some countries creating chaos in the South China Sea.”The speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore came a day ahead of the start of wide-ranging talks in Beijing on Monday between Chinese officials and a U.S. delegation led by Secretary of State John Kerry.China insists that the U.S. should stay out of the disputes, which Chinese officials say should be solved bilaterally between China and counterclaimants the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan.[Reuters]
