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)
LUKE 21:28-29
28 And when these things begin to come to pass,(ALL THE PROPHECY SIGNS FROM THE BIBLE) then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption (RAPTURE) draweth nigh.
29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree,(ISRAEL) and all the trees;(ALL INDEPENDENT COUNTRIES)
30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.(ISRAEL LITERALLY BECAME AND INDEPENDENT COUNTRY JUST BEFORE SUMMER IN MAY 14,1948.)
JOEL 2:3,30
3 A fire devoureth (ATOMIC BOMB) before them;(RUSSIAN-ARAB-MUSLIM ARMIES AGAINST ISRAEL) and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.(ATOMIC BOMB AFFECT)
ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their eyes shall consume away in their holes,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB)(BECAUSE NUKES HAVE BEEN USED ON ISRAELS ENEMIES)(GOD PROTECTS ISRAEL AND ALWAYS WILL)
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.(1/2-3 BILLION DIE IN WW3)(THIS IS AN ATOMIC BOMB EFFECT)
EZEKIEL 20:47
47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.
ZEPHANIAH 1:18
18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
MALACHI 4:1
1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven;(FROM ATOMIC BOMBS) and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
And here are the bounderies of the land that Israel will inherit either through war or peace or God in the future. God says its Israels land and only Israels land. They will have every inch God promised them of this land in the future.
Egypt east of the Nile River, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, The southern part of Turkey and the Western Half of Iraq west of the Euphrates. Gen 13:14-15, Psm 105:9,11, Gen 15:18, Exe 23:31, Num 34:1-12, Josh 1:4.ALL THIS LAND ISRAEL WILL DEFINATELY OWN IN THE FUTURE, ITS ISRAELS NOT ISHMAELS LAND.12 TRIBES INHERIT LAND IN THE FUTURE
US weighs Sheldon Adelson offer to fund Jerusalem embassy-State Department looking into legality of accepting private donation from GOP mega-donor to help cover $500m price tag to relocate diplomatic mission-By Josh Lederman-TOI-FEB 25,18
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is considering an offer from Republican mega-donor Sheldon Adelson to pay for at least part of a new US embassy in Jerusalem, four US officials told The Associated Press.Lawyers at the State Department are looking into the legality of accepting private donations to cover some or all of the embassy costs, the officials said. The discussions are occurring as the administration plans a ribbon-cutting for a scaled-down, temporary embassy that will open in May — more than a year ahead of schedule.In one possible scenario, the administration would solicit contributions not only from Adelson but potentially from other donors in the evangelical Christian and American Jewish communities, too. One official said Adelson, a Las Vegas casino magnate and staunch Israel supporter, had offered to pay the difference between the total cost — expected to run into the hundreds of millions of dollars — and what the administration is able to raise.Under any circumstance, letting private citizens cover the costs of an official government building would mark a significant departure from historical practice. In the Jerusalem case, it would add yet another layer of controversy to Trump’s politically charged decision to move the embassy, given Adelson’s longstanding affiliation with right-wing Israeli politics.The move of the embassy from Tel Aviv to the disputed holy city cleared a final bureaucratic hurdle this week when Secretary of State Rex Tillerson signed off on the security plan. In a letter sent to Congress, the State Department said the interim facility’s inauguration will coincide with the 70th anniversary of Israel’s independence on May 14.“It’s the right thing to do,” Trump said Friday of the embassy relocation.Adelson’s unconventional offer, made around the time Trump announced in December that the embassy would move, would address the president’s stated distaste for shelling out eye-popping sums for overseas diplomatic facilities. Although Trump has promoted the Jerusalem move as fulfilling a key campaign promise, he also was outspoken last month in blasting the $1 billion price tag for a new embassy in London.How quickly to move the embassy has been a source of intense debate within Trump’s administration, said the officials, who weren’t authorized to discuss the issue publicly and demanded anonymity.Tillerson, who opposed moving the embassy in the first place, advocated a go-slow approach and said it could take years. But Ambassador David Friedman, who lobbied Trump to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, has pushed to move it sooner.To enable a May opening, the administration settled on a phased approach to building out the embassy at an existing US facility in Jerusalem’s Arnona neighborhood that currently handles consular affairs like passports and visas.Initially, the US will merely retrofit a small suite of offices there to accommodate Friedman and one or two top aides. The rest of the staff will remain at first in America’s current facility in Tel Aviv.The Arnona facility will be expanded accommodate a regular contingent of embassy personnel by the end of 2019, and ultimately is likely to spill into an adjacent US-controlled property that currently houses a home for senior citizens, officials said. The State Department said a separate search was starting “in parallel” to eventually plan and build a permanent embassy.Israel’s government hailed the impending move, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying on Twitter that it would turn Israel’s anniversary “into an even greater national celebration.” But Palestinian Authority chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said the move showed Trump was determined to destroy prospects for a two-state solution and “provoke the feelings of the Palestinian people.”Retrofitting just a few offices can be accomplished at minimal cost. But expanding to allow the bulk of America’s diplomatic staff in Israel to work out of Jerusalem would easily cost more than $500 million dollars, officials familiar with the process said. Particularly pricey are the strict security requirements for embassies that are written into US law.It’s unclear how much of the cost Adelson might be willing to cover.The White House declined to comment. An Adelson spokesman didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment.The State Department said it had “nothing to announce” and “no confirmation or details about this hypothetical proposal.” Undersecretary of State Steve Goldstein added that there had been no “formal talks” with private citizens about funding.It’s not clear if there is any precedent, nor whether government lawyers would give the green light to accept Adelson’s or anyone else’s donations.Kathy Bethany, the former cost management director for the State Department’s Bureau of Overseas Building Operations, said she couldn’t recall the US government ever accepting donations to build embassies during her tenure, which ended in 2014.“I don’t know how well that would work,” Bethany said. “Would we be beholden to putting their name on the building? I’ve never heard of that.”There are several ways, in theory, that it could work. Citizens could cut a general check to the US Treasury and unofficially “earmark” their dollars as being intended to offset the embassy’s cost. The State Department’s Foreign Affairs Manual also lays out a formal process for accepting gifts, including real estate, requiring a rigorous review to ensure the gift “would not give the appearance of a conflict of interest.”Adelson, who donated $5 million to Trump’s inaugural committee, is one of the Republican Party’s biggest donors and a major Netanyahu supporter. Adelson also finances Israel Hayom, a pro-Netanyahu newspaper that is distributed free throughout Israel.Allowing donations from Adelson or others would come with significant political risk for Trump. The president already faces major criticism from Palestinians and others who say his decision to move the embassy to Jerusalem — also claimed by the Palestinians for the capital of their future state — tipped the scales unfairly in Israel’s favor.Mort Klein, president of the pro-Israel group Zionist Organization of America and a close associate of Adelson, said accepting donations would be ill-advised. Klein said he knew Adelson was “deeply interested” in seeing the embassy relocate to Jerusalem but didn’t know whether the casino mogul had offered to help pay for it himself.“This is a government project. It’s a government-run embassy,” Klein said. “I don’t want people to be able to say it was Jewish money.”
Turkey: US embassy Jerusalem opening in May damages peace, tramples on law-Ankara's criticism comes after State Department confirms embassy will move to Jerusalem to coincide with Israel's 70th birthday-By AFP and TOI staff-FEB 25,18
Turkey on Saturday described as “extremely worrying” the US push to open its embassy in Jerusalem this May to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the founding of Israel.Friday’s announcement by Washington to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem follows US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December.“This decision shows the US administration’s insistence on damaging the grounds for peace by trampling over international law, resolutions of United Nations Security Council on Jerusalem,” the Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement.“Turkey will continue its effort to protect the legitimate rights of the Palestinian public… against this extremely worrying decision by the US,” the ministry added.Ankara said the decision showed the US does not hear, “and worse still, does not care about the voice of the international community’s conscience”.US officials said Congress was being notified of the impending move on Friday. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson signed off on the security plan for the new embassy on Thursday.The date of the move is seen as largely symbolic, as the logistics of a permanent relocation are expected to take much longer. Most of the embassy staff could continue to operate from Tel Aviv during the early stages.Earlier Friday, four US officials told The Associated Press that the Trump administration was considering an offer from Republican mega-donor Sheldon Adelson to pay for at least part of the new embassy.Lawyers at the State Department are looking into the legality of accepting private donations to cover some or all of the embassy costs, the administration officials said. The discussions are occurring as the new embassy clears its final bureaucratic hurdles.
NRA honors FCC chair with rifle for repealing 'net neutrality'-[Reuters]-By David Shepardson-YAHOONEWS-February 25, 2018
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The National Rifle Association (NRA) on Friday honored the head of the Federal Communications Commission with a rifle after braving death threats and other opposition as he worked to undo the Obama administration's 2015 net neutrality rules.FCC Chairman Ajit Pai was honored at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Oxon Hill, Maryland, by the NRA with the "Charlton Heston Courage Under Fire Award," an honor named for the late actor who was an NRA president.The award is a Kentucky long rifle that will stay at the NRA's museum in Fairfax, Virginia. The NRA was not allowed to bring the weapon on stage, said Carolyn Meadows, an NRA official.It was not immediately clear why the NRA was not able to present the long gun to the FCC chairman. The FCC, CPAC and the NRA did not immediately respond to questions.A Reuters reporter at the event said there were no visible prohibitions against weapons at the event but metal detectors were present before President Donald Trump’s address earlier on Friday.At the event, Pai defended his aggressive approach to undoing numerous telecommunications regulations put in place under former President Barack Obama."Some people urged me to go for sacrifice bunts and singles and try to nibble around the edges — make some minor changes," Pai said. "But I don't play small ball."Pai canceled his appearance in January at a large consumer electronics event in Las Vegas after receiving deaths threats, sources told Reuters.The repeal of the net neutrality rules was a victory for internet service providers like AT&T Inc , Comcast Corp and Verizon Communications Inc , conferring power over what content consumers can access and allowing them to offer paid fast lanes for certain content.On the other side, technology companies including Alphabet Inc and Facebook Inc have thrown their weight behind the congressional bid to reverse the net neutrality repeal.On Thursday, 22 state attorneys general filed sued to block the repeal.Fight for the Future, a group that backs net neutrality, said in a tweet the NRA gave Pai an award that will "allow Internet service providers (ISPs) to censor websites and information about guns."Several corporations have cut ties with the NRA after the group launched a counter-offensive against a student-led campaign for tighter U.S. gun ownership laws after a gunman killed 17 people at a Florida high-school.Insurer Chubb Ltd said on Friday that it would stop underwriting an NRA-branded insurance policy for gun owners that covers legal costs in self-defense shootings. Insurance company MetLife Inc ended an auto and home incentive program for NRA members, while several rental car companies announced they were ending discount programs for NRA members.(This version of the story corrects "Oxon Hills" to Oxon Hill.)(Reporting by David Shepardson; Additional reporting by James Oliphant in Oxon Hills, Maryland; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
Armed deputy at Florida school resigns after failing to engage shooter-[Reuters]-By Bernie Woodall-YAHOONEWS-February 22, 2018
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (Reuters) - The armed deputy assigned to the campus of a Florida high school during a deadly shooting last week stayed outside the building during the attack and failed to engage the shooter, the county sheriff said on Thursday.As a consequence, Scott Peterson, on duty as the school resource officer at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, resigned from the department, said Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel, who earlier has suspended the officer from the force. He did not say if Peterson would face criminal charges.Israel said he decided to suspend Peterson after viewing a video that showed the deputy's actions during the rampage that killed 17 people. A former student Nikolas Cruz, 19, is accused of carrying out the attack with an AR-15-style assault weapon.“What I saw was a deputy arrive at the west side of Building 12, take up a position and he never went in,” said Israel. The building is popularly known as "the freshman building."Israel said he would not release the video that shows Peterson’s actions at this time and may never do so, “depending on the prosecution and criminal case.”(Reporting by Bernie Woodall in Fort Lauderdale; Editing by Tom Brown)
Report: Four of Sheriff Scott Israel's Deputies Waited Outside Douglas High During School Shooting-YAHOONEWS-February 24, 2018
A report released Friday claims four of Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel’s deputies waited outside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School while the attack was occurring. On February 22 Breitbart News reported that one deputy resigned after it was learned that he was on scene but failed to control Nikolas Cruz. Sheriff Israel told ABC 13 that video shows the deputy, Scott Peterson, “arrive at the west side of Building 12” and “take a position” outside the school — but never go inside. The sheriff’s office moved to suspend Peterson, who resigned before the suspension could take place. Now CNN reports that the Coral Springs police officers claim three other Broward County deputies were outside.
THE EU WORLD DICTATOR
ISAIAH 57:20
20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
REVELATION 6:1-2,13:1-3,7-9,16
1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
2 And I saw, and behold a white horse:(EU WORLD DICTATOR) and he that sat on him had a bow;(PEACE) and a crown was given unto him:(WORLD LEADER) and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.(THIS IS THE EU DICTATOR)
1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.(7 HEADS ARE THE 7TH WORLD EMPIRE IN HISTORY (THE EU) AS WELL AS THE VATICAN WHICH IS BUILT ON 7 HILLS. 10 HORNS ARE 10 KINGS THAT ARISE FROM THE EU, THEN #11 COMES ON THE SCENE BECOMES THE HEAD OF 3 OUNTRIES AND THEN THE EU DICTATOR, COMES FROM 1 OF THE 3 COUNTRIES THAT RULE FOR THIS TERM. I BELIEVE THE 3 COUNTRIES RULING AT THE TIME ARE SPAIN AND 2 OF THE ORIGINAL 6 THAT STARTED THE EU. FROM 1 OF THESE 3 COUNTRIES COME THE FUTURE EU DICTATOR PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN UNION WHO GUARENTEES ISRAELS SECURITY FOR A LAND FOR PEACE 7 YEAR TREATY.
2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.(THE JEWISH EU DICTATOR GETS HIS POWER FROM SATAN,HE COMES FROM THE OCCULT).
3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.(THE DICTATOR HAS A FALSE RESURRECTION. JUST LIKE JESUS HAD A LITERAL RESURRECTION THIS DICTATOR GETS MURDERED AT THE 3 1/2 YR MARK OF THR 7 YEAR TREATY AND COMES BACK TO LIFE. THIS IS HOW HE CAN CLAIM TO BE GOD AND GET AWAY WITH IT AND CONTROL THE WHOLE EARTH.
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
16 And he (FALSE POPE) causeth all,(WORLD SOCIALISM) both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
DANIEL 11:36-40
36 And the king shall do according to his will;(EU PRESIDENT) and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers,(THIS EU DICTATOR IS A EUROPEAN JEW) nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces:(HES A MILITARY GINIUS) and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
39 Thus shall he (THE EU DICTATOR) do in the most strong holds (CONTROL HEZBOLLAH,AL-QUAIDA MURDERERS ETC) with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many,(HIS ARMY LEADERS) and shall divide the land for gain.
40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south(EGYPT) push at him:(EU DICTATOR PROTECTING ISRAELS SECURITY) and the king of the north(RUSSIA) shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.
We shall have World Government, whether or not we like it. The only question is whether World Government will be achieved by conquest or consent.James Paul Warburg appearing before the Senate on 7th February 1950
Like a famous WWII Belgian General,Paul Henry Spock said in 1957:We need no commission, we have already too many. What we need is a man who is great enough to be able to keep all the people in subjection to himself and to lift us out of the economic bog into which we threaten to sink. Send us such a man. Be he a god or a devil, we will accept him.And today, sadly, the world is indeed ready for such a man.
No one will enter the New World Order... unless he or she will make a pledge to worship Lucifer. No one will enter the New Age unless he will take a Luciferian Initiation.- David Spangler Director of Planetary Initiative United Nations.
EUROPEAN UNION ARMY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI5_pMvLZd8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytWmPqY8TE0&feature=player_embedded
DANIEL 7:23-25
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)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings(10 DIVSION REGION WORLD GOVERNMENT) that shall arise: and another shall rise after them;(#11 SPAIN) and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.( BE HEAD OF 3 NATIONS)
25 And he (EU PRESIDENT) shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.(3 1/2 YRS)
DANIEL 8:23-25
23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king (EU DICTATOR) of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences,(FROM THE OCCULT-NEW AGE MOVEMENT) shall stand up.
24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power:(SATANS POWER) and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes;(JESUS) but he shall be broken without hand.
DANIEL 11:36-39
36 And the king (EU DICTATOR) shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers,(THIS EU DICTATOR IS JEWISH) nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.(CLAIM TO BE GOD)
38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces:(WAR) and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
39 Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god,(DESTROY TERROR GROUPS) whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many,(HIS ARMY LEADERS) and shall divide the land for gain.
REVELATION 19:19
19 And I saw the beast,(EU LEADER) and the kings of the earth, and their armies,(UNITED NATIONS TROOPS) gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse,(JESUS) and against his army.(THE RAPTURED CHRISTIANS)
EU leaders nix transnational lists, cool on 'Spitzenkandidat'-By Peter Teffer-EUOBSERVER
Brussels, 23. Feb, 21:37-EU leaders poured cold water on several ideas proposed recently aimed at bringing the EU closer to its citizens, at a summit in Brussels on Friday (23 February).They shelved an idea for transnational electoral lists, rejected a long-term vision for an EU 'super president', and told the European Parliament that it does not have a monopoly over choosing the next president of the European Commission."I know that Europeans aren't too keen on institutional issues – in fact they couldn't really be bothered by them – but in the Brussels bubble these things play a major role," said Jean-Claude Juncker, the current president of the commission.His counterpart from the European Council, president Donald Tusk, also said the debate on the EU institutions was "very much a Brussels bubble topic".Nevertheless, it had been argued by some that the ideas on the table were essential to strengthen European democracy.-Spitzenkandidaten or Spitzenkandidatinnen-Take the issue of lead candidates – known in that Brussels bubble as Spitzenkandidaten. "Or Spitzenkandidatinnen," added Tusk, referring to the feminine form of the German word.The European Parliament earlier this month adopted a text saying that they would only accept a presidential candidate for the commission if he or she had run in the 2019 elections as a lead candidate.But Tusk told press that the 27 EU leaders debating the issue – UK prime minister Theresa May had not been invited – were not about to give away their legal right to propose a candidate."There was agreement that the European council cannot guarantee in advance that it will propose on of the lead candidates for president of the European Commission. There is no automaticity [automatism] in this process," he said.Tusk also rejected as "wrong" the notion that resorting to such automatism would be more democratic.The Polish EU council chief referred to the EU treaty, which said that the process to choose the commission president is based on a 'double democratic legitimacy'."The treaty says that the president of the European Commission should be proposed by the democratically elected leaders of their member states, and that he or she should be elected by the democratically elected members of the European Parliament. … Cutting away any of the two sources of legitimacy would make it less democratic, not more."-Transnational lists 'no longer relevant'-Another topic up for discussion was the so-called transnational lists, which would allow candidates for the European parliament to be elected by voters in more than one country.Tusk's comments on the issue were short, after a majority of MEPs last week turned against it."Leaders will come back to this issue in the future," said Tusk.Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte also told press that a long debate on transnational lists was "no longer relevant" after the MEPs' rejection of it."We'll return to that issue after 2019 – by which I do not say anything about the desirability of it," said the centre-right liberal leader.French president Emmanuel Macron was disappointed by the parliament's decision to snub the idea of transnational lists. Macron was one of the most vocal supporters – which can partly be explained because as a leader of a new political party he has little to lose from those elected through such lists."The European parliament missed an opportunity in this context," said Macron.-Redistribution of seats-Leaders also debated the redistribution of the seats which will be left behind by the UK MEPs after Brexit."Leaders broadly supported the idea that fewer member states should mean fewer seats, which means reducing the number of MEPs from 751 to 705," said Tusk.What Tusk did not mention, was that not all 73 seats currently occupied by British MEPs will become empty.Following complex negotiations, MEPs have agreed on a redistribution of seats for those countries that until now have been – or felt – underrepresented.Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar on Friday expressed his satisfaction over the fact that Ireland will have two extra seats in the EU parliament.The Netherlands is one of the few countries which wants all 73 seats to be vacated – even though it would gain three MEPs.Rutte acknowledged that there was a "vast, vast majority" of countries that supported the proposed redistribution.He said that the Netherlands would take the coming months to consider whether it can agree. The formal decision on the redistribution of seats will be taken before July.-Super president-Finally, commission president Juncker also told leaders about his idea for a 'super president', by merging the posts currently occupied by him and Tusk."The debate on institutional issues was friendly, except when I raised the idea of merging the offices of president of the European council and president of the commission," said Juncker, without giving too much details.Tusk said simply about the idea: "There was no appetite to take this forward."
EU agrees budget to focus on defence, security and migration-By Eszter Zalan-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, 23. Feb, 22:08-EU leaders agreed on Friday (23 February) to spend more on defence, security and "stemming illegal migration" in the next long-term budget, European Council chief Donald Tusk said.After leaders held their preliminary discussion of the first post-Brexit budget, Tusk told reporters that many European heads of government were ready to contribute more money to the next budget cycle, that runs 2021-27."All the leaders approached [the budget] with open minds, rather than red lines," he stated.Tusk however said that the EU Commission's ambitious deadline for reaching an agreement by the end of this year seemed "really difficult".The EU executive wants to conclude talks by the next European elections in May 2019, however, haggling over the budget usually takes more than two years.Germany's Angela Merkel said the debate was "constructive", and said leaders will decide how fast to move with agreeing to the EU budget after the commission's proposal will be published in May.The German chancellor also warned cuts will have to be made to "bureaucratic" policies, like agriculture.One of the countries that does not want to pay more after the UK leaves the EU, the Netherlands' PM Mark Rutte, said the bloc needs to modernise and reform existing programs to finds more money."We, in any case, do not want our contribution to rise," he said.Conditionality-EU leaders also discussed the possibility of linking EU funds to migration and respecting the rule of law.Donald Tusk told reporters the discussion was less toxic than many had speculated in the run up to the summit.Member states that benefit from cohesion funds earlier warned against using EU money aimed for reducing economic differences across the EU for integrating migrants or for punishing countries that breach EU rules.After the discussions Tusk said that he had only heard "positive reactions", and that the concept was not questioned by any leader who spoke.Tusk said that Poland's premier Mateusz Morawiecki also said he was ready to support conditionality, adding that it should be built a very objective criteria."The possible conditionality was less controversial than expected," Tusk said - adding that the debate at this point was very general.France's president Emmanuel Macron had a strong warning to those who infringe EU values, something Poland had been accused of by the commission."It would be matter of good sense to halt the payment of some [EU] funds where is there is a breach of our values," Macron said.
EU and Russia vie for influence in volatile Balkans region-[Associated Press]-DUSAN STOJANOVIC-YAHOONEWS-February 25, 2018
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — For years, Russia has worked to gain influence in Southeast Europe, using Serbia as a foothold to establish a friendly pocket on a hostile continent.The European Union finally is pushing back. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker is embarking on a seven-nation Balkans tour Sunday to promote the EU's new eastward expansion strategy.Russia mainly wants to discourage the Western Balkan countries — Albania, Bosnia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Serbia — from joining NATO. But Moscow also is trying to deter them from joining the EU.The EU sees the prospect of membership as an incentive for reform in the volatile Balkans region, which was torn apart by war in the 1990s. Its expansion strategy puts Serbia and Montenegro in position to join should the bloc open its doors to more members, tentatively by 2025.Serbia is a major target of Moscow's anti-Western activities in Europe because the two Slavic and predominantly Eastern Orthodox Christian nations share deep cultural and historical ties. Their bonds also have experienced lows and highs, especially since the former Yugoslavia refused to join the Soviet bloc in 1948.The Kremlin is so concerned about losing its ally that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov repeatedly argued while in Serbia last week that EU membership isn't all it's cut out to be.Lavrov also gave a warning; the EU's repeated calls for Serbia to align its foreign policies with the bloc as a precursor to membership and to impose sanctions on Russia, he said, are the same "mistake" the West made by pressuring war-torn Ukraine to choose between it and Russia.Lavrov told Russia's Rossiya 1 TV on Saturday that both Serbia and Russia are "the object of the West's overt pressure" to turn Serbia against Russia."We love our countries, and the Serbs love Russia, and the Russians love Serbia," he said.Serbian political analyst Bosko Jaksic thinks the "Russians are getting increasingly nervous as they lose allies one by one in the Balkans.""It's not clear how far they are willing to go to preserve their interests here, but judging from what they did in Ukraine, they are willing to go far," Jaksic said, referring to Russia's annexation of Crimea and support for pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine.Lavrov also said that "Europe is facing an unhealthy situation" because of NATO's eastward expansion. Montenegro joined the Western military organization last year despite Moscow's strong opposition. He praised Belgrade for maintaining military neutrality and refusing to join NATO."We are convinced that this status is one of the main factors ensuring stability in the Balkans and the European continent in general," Lavrov said.There have been mounting fears in the West that Russia is using Serbia to foment tensions in the Balkans by arming its ally with warplanes and tanks while working to destabilize neighboring Bosnia, Montenegro and Macedonia.The European Union's foreign and security policies grew out of Europe's failure to respond to the wars in the Balkans that accompanied the breakup of Yugoslavia. The bloc remains wary that some of the ethnic cleavages that sparked the conflicts of the 1990s persist.Three countries have become EU members: Bulgaria and Romania in 2007, and Croatia in 2013. The rest either are candidates for membership of potential candidates.Although Serbia formally has declared its interest in joining the EU, the right-leaning leadership now running the country repeatedly has expressed anti-Western sentiments."Investing in the stability and prosperity of the Western Balkans means investing in the security and future of our Union," Juncker said ahead of the trip.Juncker's tour of the Balkans, which starts in Macedonia on Sunday and ends with an EU summit in Bulgaria on March 1, is seen as the EU's belated attempt to counter Russia's reach."Paradoxically, the Russians and their policies in the Balkans have triggered alarm bells that woke up the European Union into action," Jaksic, the analyst, said.___AP Writer Lorne Cook contributed from Brussels.
More than 20 killed in attacks in Afghanistan-[Reuters]-By Mohammad Stanekzai-YAHOONEWS-February 25, 2018
LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan (Reuters) - A series of militant attacks in Afghanistan killed more than 20 people, officials said on Saturday, ahead of an international meeting next week aimed at building diplomatic support for hoped-for peace talks with the Taliban.Taliban militants attacked an Afghan army post overnight on Friday, killing 18 government soldiers, while a suicide bomber in the capital killed three people and wounded five, and separate attacks in Helmand killed at least three others.The attacks came as a high-level NATO delegation visited Afghanistan, pledging support for President Ashraf Ghani's government, which on Wednesday hosts the latest in a series of diplomatic meetings aimed at laying the groundwork for a possible political process involving the Taliban.Violence has intensified in Afghanistan since U.S. President Donald Trump in August unveiled a more aggressive strategy, with U.S.-led forces carrying out more air strikes, and the Taliban responding with bombs, ambushes and raids.The Taliban, fighting to drive out foreign forces and re-impose its version of strict Islamic law, said in a statement it had attacked a government army post overnight on Friday in the western province of Farah. Government officials confirmed the attack."A large number of Taliban attacked an army outpost and we lost 18 soldiers and two were wounded," said government spokesman Dawlat Waziri.On Saturday a bomber blew himself up on a road in Kabul near an office of the Afghan intelligence services, the latest in a spate of attacks in the city in which hundreds of people have been killed and wounded. Islamic State claimed responsibility in a message carried by its Amaq news agency.The capital has been on high alert since a Taliban suicide bomber blew up an explosive-packed ambulance on a busy street on Jan. 27, killing more than 100 people and wounding at least 235.A week earlier, militants had killed more than 20 people, including four Americans, in an attack on one of the city's top hotels. The Taliban claimed that attack too.-SOFT TARGETS-General John Nicholson, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, said NATO would help authorities improve security in the capital as well as aiding Afghan forces in pressuring the insurgents with air strikes."We expect the enemy to continue with these horrendous attacks," Nicholson said, but added there had been a "lowering of ambition" by the Taliban which he said had given up trying to seize cities or whole provinces in favor of soft civilian targets."The Taliban cannot win and their best hope for the future is to engage in reconciliation," Nicholson told reporters at a news conference in Kabul.Although there appears to be no immediate prospect of any negotiations with the insurgents, officials say low-level contacts, aimed at establishing the basis for future talks, have been going on behind the scenes."Talks about those - beginning talks are certainly in the works in different forms," Kay Bailey Hutchison, the U.S. permanent representative to NATO, said. "So don't think that nothing is happening. A lot is happening in a very beginning stage ... of a way forward."Islamic State's Afghan affiliate, which first appeared near the border with Pakistan in 2015, has become increasingly active and has claimed several recent attacks, although Nicholson said its strength had been severely diminished and the movement had only between 1,500 and 2,000 fighters."We have cut their numbers in half over the last two years," he said. Most fighters were Pakistani militants, with no sign of the flood of foreign fighters seen in Syria and Iraq.(Additional reporting by Sayed Hassib and James Mackenzie in Kabul; Writing by Hamid Shalizi; Editing by Robert Birsel and David Holmes)
Death toll from Somalia blasts rises to 45: government official-[Reuters]-By Abdi Sheikh and Feisal Omar-YAHOONEWS-February 25, 2018
MOGADISHU (Reuters) - The death toll from twin car bomb blasts in the Somali capital late on Friday has risen to 45 from the initially reported 18, a senior government official said on Saturday.Al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militants claimed responsibility for the attack near the president's residence and a hotel close by."The death toll from last night's blasts has risen to 45, and 36 others were injured," the official, who asked not to be named, told Reuters.Separately, a police officer said he was sure of 36 deaths."At least 15 people including a military officer and a local official died outside the palace last night. And more than that were injured. They were mostly palace guards and guards of officials who were at the scene. The death toll may rise," Major Mohamed Abdullahi told Reuters on Saturday."At the hotel, at least 21 died. So the total I have is 36 dead and more others injured."The ambulance services had put the toll at 18 on Friday, and updated it to 21 early on Saturday.Reuters pictures showed at least five vehicles destroyed outside the hotel, whose perimeter wall was partly destroyed in the blast.Al Shabaab said its attackers had killed 35 soldiers and five of its fighters were also killed."Five including the two drivers martyred from our side. We killed 35 soldiers ... in last night's operations. The other mujahideen came back safely," Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaab’s military operations spokesman, said.The group wants to overthrow the Somali government and impose its own harsh interpretation of Islamic law. It has killed hundreds of civilians across East Africa and thousands of Somalis in a decade-long insurgency.In October, more than 500 people were killed in twin bomb blasts in Mogadishu. Those attacks were the deadliest since al Shabaab began an insurgency in 2007. Al Shabaab did not claim responsibility for that incident.(Reporting by Abdi Sheikh and Feisal Omar; Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Mark Potter)
As deadly shells fall, fear spreads anew in Syrian capital-[Associated Press]-ALBERT AJI and ZEINA KARAM-YAHOONEWS-February 25, 2018
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — As the Syrian government escalates its attacks on opposition-held suburbs of Damascus, rebels in outlying towns are retaliating with volleys of mortar shells and rockets into the capital, killing more than 25 civilians in the past two weeks and spreading fear among its 4 million residents.Many parents have stopped sending their children to school. Some are skipping work and hunkering at home. Some are even contemplating leaving until it all calms down.The scope of the rebel attacks on Damascus pales in comparison to what has rained down from warplanes on eastern Ghouta, where more than 400 people have been killed this week in the region only a short drive from the capital.But the intensity of the shelling has brought renewed anguish and suffering to the population, shattering a prevailing sense for some time now that the war — or the worst of it — was over.Issam Dhahi, a 45-year-old resident of the Qassaa neighborhood, said his two children haven't been to school or university for the past 15 days, and the family only ventures out to buy necessities. The predominantly Christian neighborhood has been a regular target of random shelling, bringing life to a standstill.Five people from his neighborhood were wounded Wednesday and five others were killed since the beginning of February, Dhahi said. Usually packed shops in the mixed commercial and residential district now close at 5 p.m., so people can get home before dark."My son's car was hit yesterday with shrapnel. ... Today, a condolences ceremony at a church in Qassaa was canceled because of fear. Everyone is staying at home," he said.President Bashar Assad has consolidated his control over key areas of Syria in recent years with the support of Iran and Russia, but he has been unable to stop the rebels from occasionally striking at his seat of power from the sprawling Ghouta suburb. The mortar and rocket attacks stopped almost completely last summer after a Russia-brokered deal was struck with the rebels, designating eastern Ghouta to be a de-escalation zone.For months until December, Damascus was brimming with life, its cafes and restaurants packed with people and its streets jammed with traffic again. There was hope that with Homs, Aleppo and Deir el-Zour back in the government's control, the conflict was winding to a close.That sense has been shattered after the government escalated its attacks earlier this month on Ghouta, the only remaining rebel stronghold near the capital. Since Feb. 18, militants in the rebel-held suburbs have hit back hard, sending dozens of shells and rockets to Damascus each day, striking in markets, residential buildings and near schools in the Old City, Qassaa, Bab Touma, Umayyad Square and the suburb of Jaramana.In three days this week, 17 people were killed, including 13 on Tuesday when 114 shells hit Damascus and its countryside. Among the dead was Lama Fallouh, a program officer at the Damascus Opera, who was killed when a shell struck near the landmark Umayyad Square in central Damascus, along with two brothers in their 20s in Jaramana and several children.The whistle and thud of mortar rounds and rockets can come at any time. At home and at work, residents take shelter in corridors and bathrooms when the first shell hits."It feels like war all over again," said a mother of three who asked not to be identified because she feared for her family's security. "I get so scared every time my children or husband leave the house, I count the seconds till they're back."The government has refused to order schools to shut down, although private schools and university can make their own decisions on whether to close.In Jaramana, where more than 14 people have been killed since the beginning of the month, streets are deserted.Ghabi Nakazi, the 60-year-old owner of a clothes factory, said he still goes to work despite safety concerns."Nothing will stop me," he said, calling on the army to eliminate what he said were "terrorists" holed up in the nearby suburbs.___Karam reported from Beirut.
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)
More rain, flooding in the forecast for U.S. South, Midwest-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-February 25, 2018
(Reuters) - Heavy rain storms will sweep across the U.S. Southern Plains and the Midwest on Saturday and Sunday, potentially causing more flooding that has already forced hundreds to flee their homes and claimed the lives of three people, including a child.Flood advisories were in effect for parts of eastern Texas northeast through southern Illinois and Indiana and into Pennsylvania as thunderstorms packing heavy rain, large hail and strong winds were in the weekend forecast, the National Weather Service said."This will contribute to a significant risk of flash flooding," the service said in a warning. "People in the risk areas should be prepared to encounter flooding."The service also warned tornadoes could develop throughout the weekend.Governors and mayors in Illinois, Kentucky and Indiana declared states of emergency for counties along waterways, including the Illinois and Ohio rivers that were expected to rise after reaching near or above their floods stages.Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin responded to "continued heavy rainfall events which have caused widespread flooding and damage to critical infrastructure across Kentucky" by declaring a statewide state of emergency on Friday.Hundreds of people in the region were evacuated over the last several days as rising waters reached their homes and nearby roadways, while communities provided sandbags to home and business owners and set up dozens of shelters to house the displaced residents."We are 100 percent at the mercy of the water, and we have absolutely no control over what the water does," said Michael Tobin, the emergency management chief in Lansing, Michigan, to the USA Today newspaper.The flooding claimed at least three lives earlier in the week, including a one-year-old girl who died when she wandered into standing water in a backyard in Central Michigan, according to local media.A 52-year-old woman was found dead in her car that was submerged in a ditch in Illinois and a 53-year-old man was killed in Oklahoma when his car was swept away by flood waters, local media reported.(The story was corrected to fix the spelling of tornadoes in paragraph 4)(Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; Editing by Mark Potter)
28 And when these things begin to come to pass,(ALL THE PROPHECY SIGNS FROM THE BIBLE) then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption (RAPTURE) draweth nigh.
29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree,(ISRAEL) and all the trees;(ALL INDEPENDENT COUNTRIES)
30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.(ISRAEL LITERALLY BECAME AND INDEPENDENT COUNTRY JUST BEFORE SUMMER IN MAY 14,1948.)
JOEL 2:3,30
3 A fire devoureth (ATOMIC BOMB) before them;(RUSSIAN-ARAB-MUSLIM ARMIES AGAINST ISRAEL) and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.(ATOMIC BOMB AFFECT)
ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their eyes shall consume away in their holes,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB)(BECAUSE NUKES HAVE BEEN USED ON ISRAELS ENEMIES)(GOD PROTECTS ISRAEL AND ALWAYS WILL)
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.(1/2-3 BILLION DIE IN WW3)(THIS IS AN ATOMIC BOMB EFFECT)
EZEKIEL 20:47
47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.
ZEPHANIAH 1:18
18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
MALACHI 4:1
1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven;(FROM ATOMIC BOMBS) and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
And here are the bounderies of the land that Israel will inherit either through war or peace or God in the future. God says its Israels land and only Israels land. They will have every inch God promised them of this land in the future.
Egypt east of the Nile River, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, The southern part of Turkey and the Western Half of Iraq west of the Euphrates. Gen 13:14-15, Psm 105:9,11, Gen 15:18, Exe 23:31, Num 34:1-12, Josh 1:4.ALL THIS LAND ISRAEL WILL DEFINATELY OWN IN THE FUTURE, ITS ISRAELS NOT ISHMAELS LAND.12 TRIBES INHERIT LAND IN THE FUTURE
US weighs Sheldon Adelson offer to fund Jerusalem embassy-State Department looking into legality of accepting private donation from GOP mega-donor to help cover $500m price tag to relocate diplomatic mission-By Josh Lederman-TOI-FEB 25,18
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is considering an offer from Republican mega-donor Sheldon Adelson to pay for at least part of a new US embassy in Jerusalem, four US officials told The Associated Press.Lawyers at the State Department are looking into the legality of accepting private donations to cover some or all of the embassy costs, the officials said. The discussions are occurring as the administration plans a ribbon-cutting for a scaled-down, temporary embassy that will open in May — more than a year ahead of schedule.In one possible scenario, the administration would solicit contributions not only from Adelson but potentially from other donors in the evangelical Christian and American Jewish communities, too. One official said Adelson, a Las Vegas casino magnate and staunch Israel supporter, had offered to pay the difference between the total cost — expected to run into the hundreds of millions of dollars — and what the administration is able to raise.Under any circumstance, letting private citizens cover the costs of an official government building would mark a significant departure from historical practice. In the Jerusalem case, it would add yet another layer of controversy to Trump’s politically charged decision to move the embassy, given Adelson’s longstanding affiliation with right-wing Israeli politics.The move of the embassy from Tel Aviv to the disputed holy city cleared a final bureaucratic hurdle this week when Secretary of State Rex Tillerson signed off on the security plan. In a letter sent to Congress, the State Department said the interim facility’s inauguration will coincide with the 70th anniversary of Israel’s independence on May 14.“It’s the right thing to do,” Trump said Friday of the embassy relocation.Adelson’s unconventional offer, made around the time Trump announced in December that the embassy would move, would address the president’s stated distaste for shelling out eye-popping sums for overseas diplomatic facilities. Although Trump has promoted the Jerusalem move as fulfilling a key campaign promise, he also was outspoken last month in blasting the $1 billion price tag for a new embassy in London.How quickly to move the embassy has been a source of intense debate within Trump’s administration, said the officials, who weren’t authorized to discuss the issue publicly and demanded anonymity.Tillerson, who opposed moving the embassy in the first place, advocated a go-slow approach and said it could take years. But Ambassador David Friedman, who lobbied Trump to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, has pushed to move it sooner.To enable a May opening, the administration settled on a phased approach to building out the embassy at an existing US facility in Jerusalem’s Arnona neighborhood that currently handles consular affairs like passports and visas.Initially, the US will merely retrofit a small suite of offices there to accommodate Friedman and one or two top aides. The rest of the staff will remain at first in America’s current facility in Tel Aviv.The Arnona facility will be expanded accommodate a regular contingent of embassy personnel by the end of 2019, and ultimately is likely to spill into an adjacent US-controlled property that currently houses a home for senior citizens, officials said. The State Department said a separate search was starting “in parallel” to eventually plan and build a permanent embassy.Israel’s government hailed the impending move, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying on Twitter that it would turn Israel’s anniversary “into an even greater national celebration.” But Palestinian Authority chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said the move showed Trump was determined to destroy prospects for a two-state solution and “provoke the feelings of the Palestinian people.”Retrofitting just a few offices can be accomplished at minimal cost. But expanding to allow the bulk of America’s diplomatic staff in Israel to work out of Jerusalem would easily cost more than $500 million dollars, officials familiar with the process said. Particularly pricey are the strict security requirements for embassies that are written into US law.It’s unclear how much of the cost Adelson might be willing to cover.The White House declined to comment. An Adelson spokesman didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment.The State Department said it had “nothing to announce” and “no confirmation or details about this hypothetical proposal.” Undersecretary of State Steve Goldstein added that there had been no “formal talks” with private citizens about funding.It’s not clear if there is any precedent, nor whether government lawyers would give the green light to accept Adelson’s or anyone else’s donations.Kathy Bethany, the former cost management director for the State Department’s Bureau of Overseas Building Operations, said she couldn’t recall the US government ever accepting donations to build embassies during her tenure, which ended in 2014.“I don’t know how well that would work,” Bethany said. “Would we be beholden to putting their name on the building? I’ve never heard of that.”There are several ways, in theory, that it could work. Citizens could cut a general check to the US Treasury and unofficially “earmark” their dollars as being intended to offset the embassy’s cost. The State Department’s Foreign Affairs Manual also lays out a formal process for accepting gifts, including real estate, requiring a rigorous review to ensure the gift “would not give the appearance of a conflict of interest.”Adelson, who donated $5 million to Trump’s inaugural committee, is one of the Republican Party’s biggest donors and a major Netanyahu supporter. Adelson also finances Israel Hayom, a pro-Netanyahu newspaper that is distributed free throughout Israel.Allowing donations from Adelson or others would come with significant political risk for Trump. The president already faces major criticism from Palestinians and others who say his decision to move the embassy to Jerusalem — also claimed by the Palestinians for the capital of their future state — tipped the scales unfairly in Israel’s favor.Mort Klein, president of the pro-Israel group Zionist Organization of America and a close associate of Adelson, said accepting donations would be ill-advised. Klein said he knew Adelson was “deeply interested” in seeing the embassy relocate to Jerusalem but didn’t know whether the casino mogul had offered to help pay for it himself.“This is a government project. It’s a government-run embassy,” Klein said. “I don’t want people to be able to say it was Jewish money.”
Turkey: US embassy Jerusalem opening in May damages peace, tramples on law-Ankara's criticism comes after State Department confirms embassy will move to Jerusalem to coincide with Israel's 70th birthday-By AFP and TOI staff-FEB 25,18
Turkey on Saturday described as “extremely worrying” the US push to open its embassy in Jerusalem this May to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the founding of Israel.Friday’s announcement by Washington to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem follows US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December.“This decision shows the US administration’s insistence on damaging the grounds for peace by trampling over international law, resolutions of United Nations Security Council on Jerusalem,” the Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement.“Turkey will continue its effort to protect the legitimate rights of the Palestinian public… against this extremely worrying decision by the US,” the ministry added.Ankara said the decision showed the US does not hear, “and worse still, does not care about the voice of the international community’s conscience”.US officials said Congress was being notified of the impending move on Friday. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson signed off on the security plan for the new embassy on Thursday.The date of the move is seen as largely symbolic, as the logistics of a permanent relocation are expected to take much longer. Most of the embassy staff could continue to operate from Tel Aviv during the early stages.Earlier Friday, four US officials told The Associated Press that the Trump administration was considering an offer from Republican mega-donor Sheldon Adelson to pay for at least part of the new embassy.Lawyers at the State Department are looking into the legality of accepting private donations to cover some or all of the embassy costs, the administration officials said. The discussions are occurring as the new embassy clears its final bureaucratic hurdles.
NRA honors FCC chair with rifle for repealing 'net neutrality'-[Reuters]-By David Shepardson-YAHOONEWS-February 25, 2018
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The National Rifle Association (NRA) on Friday honored the head of the Federal Communications Commission with a rifle after braving death threats and other opposition as he worked to undo the Obama administration's 2015 net neutrality rules.FCC Chairman Ajit Pai was honored at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Oxon Hill, Maryland, by the NRA with the "Charlton Heston Courage Under Fire Award," an honor named for the late actor who was an NRA president.The award is a Kentucky long rifle that will stay at the NRA's museum in Fairfax, Virginia. The NRA was not allowed to bring the weapon on stage, said Carolyn Meadows, an NRA official.It was not immediately clear why the NRA was not able to present the long gun to the FCC chairman. The FCC, CPAC and the NRA did not immediately respond to questions.A Reuters reporter at the event said there were no visible prohibitions against weapons at the event but metal detectors were present before President Donald Trump’s address earlier on Friday.At the event, Pai defended his aggressive approach to undoing numerous telecommunications regulations put in place under former President Barack Obama."Some people urged me to go for sacrifice bunts and singles and try to nibble around the edges — make some minor changes," Pai said. "But I don't play small ball."Pai canceled his appearance in January at a large consumer electronics event in Las Vegas after receiving deaths threats, sources told Reuters.The repeal of the net neutrality rules was a victory for internet service providers like AT&T Inc , Comcast Corp and Verizon Communications Inc , conferring power over what content consumers can access and allowing them to offer paid fast lanes for certain content.On the other side, technology companies including Alphabet Inc and Facebook Inc have thrown their weight behind the congressional bid to reverse the net neutrality repeal.On Thursday, 22 state attorneys general filed sued to block the repeal.Fight for the Future, a group that backs net neutrality, said in a tweet the NRA gave Pai an award that will "allow Internet service providers (ISPs) to censor websites and information about guns."Several corporations have cut ties with the NRA after the group launched a counter-offensive against a student-led campaign for tighter U.S. gun ownership laws after a gunman killed 17 people at a Florida high-school.Insurer Chubb Ltd said on Friday that it would stop underwriting an NRA-branded insurance policy for gun owners that covers legal costs in self-defense shootings. Insurance company MetLife Inc ended an auto and home incentive program for NRA members, while several rental car companies announced they were ending discount programs for NRA members.(This version of the story corrects "Oxon Hills" to Oxon Hill.)(Reporting by David Shepardson; Additional reporting by James Oliphant in Oxon Hills, Maryland; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
Armed deputy at Florida school resigns after failing to engage shooter-[Reuters]-By Bernie Woodall-YAHOONEWS-February 22, 2018
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (Reuters) - The armed deputy assigned to the campus of a Florida high school during a deadly shooting last week stayed outside the building during the attack and failed to engage the shooter, the county sheriff said on Thursday.As a consequence, Scott Peterson, on duty as the school resource officer at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, resigned from the department, said Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel, who earlier has suspended the officer from the force. He did not say if Peterson would face criminal charges.Israel said he decided to suspend Peterson after viewing a video that showed the deputy's actions during the rampage that killed 17 people. A former student Nikolas Cruz, 19, is accused of carrying out the attack with an AR-15-style assault weapon.“What I saw was a deputy arrive at the west side of Building 12, take up a position and he never went in,” said Israel. The building is popularly known as "the freshman building."Israel said he would not release the video that shows Peterson’s actions at this time and may never do so, “depending on the prosecution and criminal case.”(Reporting by Bernie Woodall in Fort Lauderdale; Editing by Tom Brown)
Report: Four of Sheriff Scott Israel's Deputies Waited Outside Douglas High During School Shooting-YAHOONEWS-February 24, 2018
A report released Friday claims four of Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel’s deputies waited outside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School while the attack was occurring. On February 22 Breitbart News reported that one deputy resigned after it was learned that he was on scene but failed to control Nikolas Cruz. Sheriff Israel told ABC 13 that video shows the deputy, Scott Peterson, “arrive at the west side of Building 12” and “take a position” outside the school — but never go inside. The sheriff’s office moved to suspend Peterson, who resigned before the suspension could take place. Now CNN reports that the Coral Springs police officers claim three other Broward County deputies were outside.
THE EU WORLD DICTATOR
ISAIAH 57:20
20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
REVELATION 6:1-2,13:1-3,7-9,16
1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
2 And I saw, and behold a white horse:(EU WORLD DICTATOR) and he that sat on him had a bow;(PEACE) and a crown was given unto him:(WORLD LEADER) and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.(THIS IS THE EU DICTATOR)
1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.(7 HEADS ARE THE 7TH WORLD EMPIRE IN HISTORY (THE EU) AS WELL AS THE VATICAN WHICH IS BUILT ON 7 HILLS. 10 HORNS ARE 10 KINGS THAT ARISE FROM THE EU, THEN #11 COMES ON THE SCENE BECOMES THE HEAD OF 3 OUNTRIES AND THEN THE EU DICTATOR, COMES FROM 1 OF THE 3 COUNTRIES THAT RULE FOR THIS TERM. I BELIEVE THE 3 COUNTRIES RULING AT THE TIME ARE SPAIN AND 2 OF THE ORIGINAL 6 THAT STARTED THE EU. FROM 1 OF THESE 3 COUNTRIES COME THE FUTURE EU DICTATOR PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN UNION WHO GUARENTEES ISRAELS SECURITY FOR A LAND FOR PEACE 7 YEAR TREATY.
2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.(THE JEWISH EU DICTATOR GETS HIS POWER FROM SATAN,HE COMES FROM THE OCCULT).
3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.(THE DICTATOR HAS A FALSE RESURRECTION. JUST LIKE JESUS HAD A LITERAL RESURRECTION THIS DICTATOR GETS MURDERED AT THE 3 1/2 YR MARK OF THR 7 YEAR TREATY AND COMES BACK TO LIFE. THIS IS HOW HE CAN CLAIM TO BE GOD AND GET AWAY WITH IT AND CONTROL THE WHOLE EARTH.
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
16 And he (FALSE POPE) causeth all,(WORLD SOCIALISM) both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
DANIEL 11:36-40
36 And the king shall do according to his will;(EU PRESIDENT) and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers,(THIS EU DICTATOR IS A EUROPEAN JEW) nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces:(HES A MILITARY GINIUS) and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
39 Thus shall he (THE EU DICTATOR) do in the most strong holds (CONTROL HEZBOLLAH,AL-QUAIDA MURDERERS ETC) with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many,(HIS ARMY LEADERS) and shall divide the land for gain.
40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south(EGYPT) push at him:(EU DICTATOR PROTECTING ISRAELS SECURITY) and the king of the north(RUSSIA) shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.
We shall have World Government, whether or not we like it. The only question is whether World Government will be achieved by conquest or consent.James Paul Warburg appearing before the Senate on 7th February 1950
Like a famous WWII Belgian General,Paul Henry Spock said in 1957:We need no commission, we have already too many. What we need is a man who is great enough to be able to keep all the people in subjection to himself and to lift us out of the economic bog into which we threaten to sink. Send us such a man. Be he a god or a devil, we will accept him.And today, sadly, the world is indeed ready for such a man.
No one will enter the New World Order... unless he or she will make a pledge to worship Lucifer. No one will enter the New Age unless he will take a Luciferian Initiation.- David Spangler Director of Planetary Initiative United Nations.
EUROPEAN UNION ARMY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI5_pMvLZd8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytWmPqY8TE0&feature=player_embedded
DANIEL 7:23-25
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)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings(10 DIVSION REGION WORLD GOVERNMENT) that shall arise: and another shall rise after them;(#11 SPAIN) and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.( BE HEAD OF 3 NATIONS)
25 And he (EU PRESIDENT) shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.(3 1/2 YRS)
DANIEL 8:23-25
23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king (EU DICTATOR) of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences,(FROM THE OCCULT-NEW AGE MOVEMENT) shall stand up.
24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power:(SATANS POWER) and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes;(JESUS) but he shall be broken without hand.
DANIEL 11:36-39
36 And the king (EU DICTATOR) shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers,(THIS EU DICTATOR IS JEWISH) nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.(CLAIM TO BE GOD)
38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces:(WAR) and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
39 Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god,(DESTROY TERROR GROUPS) whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many,(HIS ARMY LEADERS) and shall divide the land for gain.
REVELATION 19:19
19 And I saw the beast,(EU LEADER) and the kings of the earth, and their armies,(UNITED NATIONS TROOPS) gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse,(JESUS) and against his army.(THE RAPTURED CHRISTIANS)
EU leaders nix transnational lists, cool on 'Spitzenkandidat'-By Peter Teffer-EUOBSERVER
Brussels, 23. Feb, 21:37-EU leaders poured cold water on several ideas proposed recently aimed at bringing the EU closer to its citizens, at a summit in Brussels on Friday (23 February).They shelved an idea for transnational electoral lists, rejected a long-term vision for an EU 'super president', and told the European Parliament that it does not have a monopoly over choosing the next president of the European Commission."I know that Europeans aren't too keen on institutional issues – in fact they couldn't really be bothered by them – but in the Brussels bubble these things play a major role," said Jean-Claude Juncker, the current president of the commission.His counterpart from the European Council, president Donald Tusk, also said the debate on the EU institutions was "very much a Brussels bubble topic".Nevertheless, it had been argued by some that the ideas on the table were essential to strengthen European democracy.-Spitzenkandidaten or Spitzenkandidatinnen-Take the issue of lead candidates – known in that Brussels bubble as Spitzenkandidaten. "Or Spitzenkandidatinnen," added Tusk, referring to the feminine form of the German word.The European Parliament earlier this month adopted a text saying that they would only accept a presidential candidate for the commission if he or she had run in the 2019 elections as a lead candidate.But Tusk told press that the 27 EU leaders debating the issue – UK prime minister Theresa May had not been invited – were not about to give away their legal right to propose a candidate."There was agreement that the European council cannot guarantee in advance that it will propose on of the lead candidates for president of the European Commission. There is no automaticity [automatism] in this process," he said.Tusk also rejected as "wrong" the notion that resorting to such automatism would be more democratic.The Polish EU council chief referred to the EU treaty, which said that the process to choose the commission president is based on a 'double democratic legitimacy'."The treaty says that the president of the European Commission should be proposed by the democratically elected leaders of their member states, and that he or she should be elected by the democratically elected members of the European Parliament. … Cutting away any of the two sources of legitimacy would make it less democratic, not more."-Transnational lists 'no longer relevant'-Another topic up for discussion was the so-called transnational lists, which would allow candidates for the European parliament to be elected by voters in more than one country.Tusk's comments on the issue were short, after a majority of MEPs last week turned against it."Leaders will come back to this issue in the future," said Tusk.Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte also told press that a long debate on transnational lists was "no longer relevant" after the MEPs' rejection of it."We'll return to that issue after 2019 – by which I do not say anything about the desirability of it," said the centre-right liberal leader.French president Emmanuel Macron was disappointed by the parliament's decision to snub the idea of transnational lists. Macron was one of the most vocal supporters – which can partly be explained because as a leader of a new political party he has little to lose from those elected through such lists."The European parliament missed an opportunity in this context," said Macron.-Redistribution of seats-Leaders also debated the redistribution of the seats which will be left behind by the UK MEPs after Brexit."Leaders broadly supported the idea that fewer member states should mean fewer seats, which means reducing the number of MEPs from 751 to 705," said Tusk.What Tusk did not mention, was that not all 73 seats currently occupied by British MEPs will become empty.Following complex negotiations, MEPs have agreed on a redistribution of seats for those countries that until now have been – or felt – underrepresented.Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar on Friday expressed his satisfaction over the fact that Ireland will have two extra seats in the EU parliament.The Netherlands is one of the few countries which wants all 73 seats to be vacated – even though it would gain three MEPs.Rutte acknowledged that there was a "vast, vast majority" of countries that supported the proposed redistribution.He said that the Netherlands would take the coming months to consider whether it can agree. The formal decision on the redistribution of seats will be taken before July.-Super president-Finally, commission president Juncker also told leaders about his idea for a 'super president', by merging the posts currently occupied by him and Tusk."The debate on institutional issues was friendly, except when I raised the idea of merging the offices of president of the European council and president of the commission," said Juncker, without giving too much details.Tusk said simply about the idea: "There was no appetite to take this forward."
EU agrees budget to focus on defence, security and migration-By Eszter Zalan-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, 23. Feb, 22:08-EU leaders agreed on Friday (23 February) to spend more on defence, security and "stemming illegal migration" in the next long-term budget, European Council chief Donald Tusk said.After leaders held their preliminary discussion of the first post-Brexit budget, Tusk told reporters that many European heads of government were ready to contribute more money to the next budget cycle, that runs 2021-27."All the leaders approached [the budget] with open minds, rather than red lines," he stated.Tusk however said that the EU Commission's ambitious deadline for reaching an agreement by the end of this year seemed "really difficult".The EU executive wants to conclude talks by the next European elections in May 2019, however, haggling over the budget usually takes more than two years.Germany's Angela Merkel said the debate was "constructive", and said leaders will decide how fast to move with agreeing to the EU budget after the commission's proposal will be published in May.The German chancellor also warned cuts will have to be made to "bureaucratic" policies, like agriculture.One of the countries that does not want to pay more after the UK leaves the EU, the Netherlands' PM Mark Rutte, said the bloc needs to modernise and reform existing programs to finds more money."We, in any case, do not want our contribution to rise," he said.Conditionality-EU leaders also discussed the possibility of linking EU funds to migration and respecting the rule of law.Donald Tusk told reporters the discussion was less toxic than many had speculated in the run up to the summit.Member states that benefit from cohesion funds earlier warned against using EU money aimed for reducing economic differences across the EU for integrating migrants or for punishing countries that breach EU rules.After the discussions Tusk said that he had only heard "positive reactions", and that the concept was not questioned by any leader who spoke.Tusk said that Poland's premier Mateusz Morawiecki also said he was ready to support conditionality, adding that it should be built a very objective criteria."The possible conditionality was less controversial than expected," Tusk said - adding that the debate at this point was very general.France's president Emmanuel Macron had a strong warning to those who infringe EU values, something Poland had been accused of by the commission."It would be matter of good sense to halt the payment of some [EU] funds where is there is a breach of our values," Macron said.
EU and Russia vie for influence in volatile Balkans region-[Associated Press]-DUSAN STOJANOVIC-YAHOONEWS-February 25, 2018
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — For years, Russia has worked to gain influence in Southeast Europe, using Serbia as a foothold to establish a friendly pocket on a hostile continent.The European Union finally is pushing back. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker is embarking on a seven-nation Balkans tour Sunday to promote the EU's new eastward expansion strategy.Russia mainly wants to discourage the Western Balkan countries — Albania, Bosnia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Serbia — from joining NATO. But Moscow also is trying to deter them from joining the EU.The EU sees the prospect of membership as an incentive for reform in the volatile Balkans region, which was torn apart by war in the 1990s. Its expansion strategy puts Serbia and Montenegro in position to join should the bloc open its doors to more members, tentatively by 2025.Serbia is a major target of Moscow's anti-Western activities in Europe because the two Slavic and predominantly Eastern Orthodox Christian nations share deep cultural and historical ties. Their bonds also have experienced lows and highs, especially since the former Yugoslavia refused to join the Soviet bloc in 1948.The Kremlin is so concerned about losing its ally that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov repeatedly argued while in Serbia last week that EU membership isn't all it's cut out to be.Lavrov also gave a warning; the EU's repeated calls for Serbia to align its foreign policies with the bloc as a precursor to membership and to impose sanctions on Russia, he said, are the same "mistake" the West made by pressuring war-torn Ukraine to choose between it and Russia.Lavrov told Russia's Rossiya 1 TV on Saturday that both Serbia and Russia are "the object of the West's overt pressure" to turn Serbia against Russia."We love our countries, and the Serbs love Russia, and the Russians love Serbia," he said.Serbian political analyst Bosko Jaksic thinks the "Russians are getting increasingly nervous as they lose allies one by one in the Balkans.""It's not clear how far they are willing to go to preserve their interests here, but judging from what they did in Ukraine, they are willing to go far," Jaksic said, referring to Russia's annexation of Crimea and support for pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine.Lavrov also said that "Europe is facing an unhealthy situation" because of NATO's eastward expansion. Montenegro joined the Western military organization last year despite Moscow's strong opposition. He praised Belgrade for maintaining military neutrality and refusing to join NATO."We are convinced that this status is one of the main factors ensuring stability in the Balkans and the European continent in general," Lavrov said.There have been mounting fears in the West that Russia is using Serbia to foment tensions in the Balkans by arming its ally with warplanes and tanks while working to destabilize neighboring Bosnia, Montenegro and Macedonia.The European Union's foreign and security policies grew out of Europe's failure to respond to the wars in the Balkans that accompanied the breakup of Yugoslavia. The bloc remains wary that some of the ethnic cleavages that sparked the conflicts of the 1990s persist.Three countries have become EU members: Bulgaria and Romania in 2007, and Croatia in 2013. The rest either are candidates for membership of potential candidates.Although Serbia formally has declared its interest in joining the EU, the right-leaning leadership now running the country repeatedly has expressed anti-Western sentiments."Investing in the stability and prosperity of the Western Balkans means investing in the security and future of our Union," Juncker said ahead of the trip.Juncker's tour of the Balkans, which starts in Macedonia on Sunday and ends with an EU summit in Bulgaria on March 1, is seen as the EU's belated attempt to counter Russia's reach."Paradoxically, the Russians and their policies in the Balkans have triggered alarm bells that woke up the European Union into action," Jaksic, the analyst, said.___AP Writer Lorne Cook contributed from Brussels.
More than 20 killed in attacks in Afghanistan-[Reuters]-By Mohammad Stanekzai-YAHOONEWS-February 25, 2018
LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan (Reuters) - A series of militant attacks in Afghanistan killed more than 20 people, officials said on Saturday, ahead of an international meeting next week aimed at building diplomatic support for hoped-for peace talks with the Taliban.Taliban militants attacked an Afghan army post overnight on Friday, killing 18 government soldiers, while a suicide bomber in the capital killed three people and wounded five, and separate attacks in Helmand killed at least three others.The attacks came as a high-level NATO delegation visited Afghanistan, pledging support for President Ashraf Ghani's government, which on Wednesday hosts the latest in a series of diplomatic meetings aimed at laying the groundwork for a possible political process involving the Taliban.Violence has intensified in Afghanistan since U.S. President Donald Trump in August unveiled a more aggressive strategy, with U.S.-led forces carrying out more air strikes, and the Taliban responding with bombs, ambushes and raids.The Taliban, fighting to drive out foreign forces and re-impose its version of strict Islamic law, said in a statement it had attacked a government army post overnight on Friday in the western province of Farah. Government officials confirmed the attack."A large number of Taliban attacked an army outpost and we lost 18 soldiers and two were wounded," said government spokesman Dawlat Waziri.On Saturday a bomber blew himself up on a road in Kabul near an office of the Afghan intelligence services, the latest in a spate of attacks in the city in which hundreds of people have been killed and wounded. Islamic State claimed responsibility in a message carried by its Amaq news agency.The capital has been on high alert since a Taliban suicide bomber blew up an explosive-packed ambulance on a busy street on Jan. 27, killing more than 100 people and wounding at least 235.A week earlier, militants had killed more than 20 people, including four Americans, in an attack on one of the city's top hotels. The Taliban claimed that attack too.-SOFT TARGETS-General John Nicholson, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, said NATO would help authorities improve security in the capital as well as aiding Afghan forces in pressuring the insurgents with air strikes."We expect the enemy to continue with these horrendous attacks," Nicholson said, but added there had been a "lowering of ambition" by the Taliban which he said had given up trying to seize cities or whole provinces in favor of soft civilian targets."The Taliban cannot win and their best hope for the future is to engage in reconciliation," Nicholson told reporters at a news conference in Kabul.Although there appears to be no immediate prospect of any negotiations with the insurgents, officials say low-level contacts, aimed at establishing the basis for future talks, have been going on behind the scenes."Talks about those - beginning talks are certainly in the works in different forms," Kay Bailey Hutchison, the U.S. permanent representative to NATO, said. "So don't think that nothing is happening. A lot is happening in a very beginning stage ... of a way forward."Islamic State's Afghan affiliate, which first appeared near the border with Pakistan in 2015, has become increasingly active and has claimed several recent attacks, although Nicholson said its strength had been severely diminished and the movement had only between 1,500 and 2,000 fighters."We have cut their numbers in half over the last two years," he said. Most fighters were Pakistani militants, with no sign of the flood of foreign fighters seen in Syria and Iraq.(Additional reporting by Sayed Hassib and James Mackenzie in Kabul; Writing by Hamid Shalizi; Editing by Robert Birsel and David Holmes)
Death toll from Somalia blasts rises to 45: government official-[Reuters]-By Abdi Sheikh and Feisal Omar-YAHOONEWS-February 25, 2018
MOGADISHU (Reuters) - The death toll from twin car bomb blasts in the Somali capital late on Friday has risen to 45 from the initially reported 18, a senior government official said on Saturday.Al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militants claimed responsibility for the attack near the president's residence and a hotel close by."The death toll from last night's blasts has risen to 45, and 36 others were injured," the official, who asked not to be named, told Reuters.Separately, a police officer said he was sure of 36 deaths."At least 15 people including a military officer and a local official died outside the palace last night. And more than that were injured. They were mostly palace guards and guards of officials who were at the scene. The death toll may rise," Major Mohamed Abdullahi told Reuters on Saturday."At the hotel, at least 21 died. So the total I have is 36 dead and more others injured."The ambulance services had put the toll at 18 on Friday, and updated it to 21 early on Saturday.Reuters pictures showed at least five vehicles destroyed outside the hotel, whose perimeter wall was partly destroyed in the blast.Al Shabaab said its attackers had killed 35 soldiers and five of its fighters were also killed."Five including the two drivers martyred from our side. We killed 35 soldiers ... in last night's operations. The other mujahideen came back safely," Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaab’s military operations spokesman, said.The group wants to overthrow the Somali government and impose its own harsh interpretation of Islamic law. It has killed hundreds of civilians across East Africa and thousands of Somalis in a decade-long insurgency.In October, more than 500 people were killed in twin bomb blasts in Mogadishu. Those attacks were the deadliest since al Shabaab began an insurgency in 2007. Al Shabaab did not claim responsibility for that incident.(Reporting by Abdi Sheikh and Feisal Omar; Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Mark Potter)
As deadly shells fall, fear spreads anew in Syrian capital-[Associated Press]-ALBERT AJI and ZEINA KARAM-YAHOONEWS-February 25, 2018
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — As the Syrian government escalates its attacks on opposition-held suburbs of Damascus, rebels in outlying towns are retaliating with volleys of mortar shells and rockets into the capital, killing more than 25 civilians in the past two weeks and spreading fear among its 4 million residents.Many parents have stopped sending their children to school. Some are skipping work and hunkering at home. Some are even contemplating leaving until it all calms down.The scope of the rebel attacks on Damascus pales in comparison to what has rained down from warplanes on eastern Ghouta, where more than 400 people have been killed this week in the region only a short drive from the capital.But the intensity of the shelling has brought renewed anguish and suffering to the population, shattering a prevailing sense for some time now that the war — or the worst of it — was over.Issam Dhahi, a 45-year-old resident of the Qassaa neighborhood, said his two children haven't been to school or university for the past 15 days, and the family only ventures out to buy necessities. The predominantly Christian neighborhood has been a regular target of random shelling, bringing life to a standstill.Five people from his neighborhood were wounded Wednesday and five others were killed since the beginning of February, Dhahi said. Usually packed shops in the mixed commercial and residential district now close at 5 p.m., so people can get home before dark."My son's car was hit yesterday with shrapnel. ... Today, a condolences ceremony at a church in Qassaa was canceled because of fear. Everyone is staying at home," he said.President Bashar Assad has consolidated his control over key areas of Syria in recent years with the support of Iran and Russia, but he has been unable to stop the rebels from occasionally striking at his seat of power from the sprawling Ghouta suburb. The mortar and rocket attacks stopped almost completely last summer after a Russia-brokered deal was struck with the rebels, designating eastern Ghouta to be a de-escalation zone.For months until December, Damascus was brimming with life, its cafes and restaurants packed with people and its streets jammed with traffic again. There was hope that with Homs, Aleppo and Deir el-Zour back in the government's control, the conflict was winding to a close.That sense has been shattered after the government escalated its attacks earlier this month on Ghouta, the only remaining rebel stronghold near the capital. Since Feb. 18, militants in the rebel-held suburbs have hit back hard, sending dozens of shells and rockets to Damascus each day, striking in markets, residential buildings and near schools in the Old City, Qassaa, Bab Touma, Umayyad Square and the suburb of Jaramana.In three days this week, 17 people were killed, including 13 on Tuesday when 114 shells hit Damascus and its countryside. Among the dead was Lama Fallouh, a program officer at the Damascus Opera, who was killed when a shell struck near the landmark Umayyad Square in central Damascus, along with two brothers in their 20s in Jaramana and several children.The whistle and thud of mortar rounds and rockets can come at any time. At home and at work, residents take shelter in corridors and bathrooms when the first shell hits."It feels like war all over again," said a mother of three who asked not to be identified because she feared for her family's security. "I get so scared every time my children or husband leave the house, I count the seconds till they're back."The government has refused to order schools to shut down, although private schools and university can make their own decisions on whether to close.In Jaramana, where more than 14 people have been killed since the beginning of the month, streets are deserted.Ghabi Nakazi, the 60-year-old owner of a clothes factory, said he still goes to work despite safety concerns."Nothing will stop me," he said, calling on the army to eliminate what he said were "terrorists" holed up in the nearby suburbs.___Karam reported from Beirut.
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)
More rain, flooding in the forecast for U.S. South, Midwest-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-February 25, 2018
(Reuters) - Heavy rain storms will sweep across the U.S. Southern Plains and the Midwest on Saturday and Sunday, potentially causing more flooding that has already forced hundreds to flee their homes and claimed the lives of three people, including a child.Flood advisories were in effect for parts of eastern Texas northeast through southern Illinois and Indiana and into Pennsylvania as thunderstorms packing heavy rain, large hail and strong winds were in the weekend forecast, the National Weather Service said."This will contribute to a significant risk of flash flooding," the service said in a warning. "People in the risk areas should be prepared to encounter flooding."The service also warned tornadoes could develop throughout the weekend.Governors and mayors in Illinois, Kentucky and Indiana declared states of emergency for counties along waterways, including the Illinois and Ohio rivers that were expected to rise after reaching near or above their floods stages.Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin responded to "continued heavy rainfall events which have caused widespread flooding and damage to critical infrastructure across Kentucky" by declaring a statewide state of emergency on Friday.Hundreds of people in the region were evacuated over the last several days as rising waters reached their homes and nearby roadways, while communities provided sandbags to home and business owners and set up dozens of shelters to house the displaced residents."We are 100 percent at the mercy of the water, and we have absolutely no control over what the water does," said Michael Tobin, the emergency management chief in Lansing, Michigan, to the USA Today newspaper.The flooding claimed at least three lives earlier in the week, including a one-year-old girl who died when she wandered into standing water in a backyard in Central Michigan, according to local media.A 52-year-old woman was found dead in her car that was submerged in a ditch in Illinois and a 53-year-old man was killed in Oklahoma when his car was swept away by flood waters, local media reported.(The story was corrected to fix the spelling of tornadoes in paragraph 4)(Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; Editing by Mark Potter)
