NETANYAHU TO TRUMP-PLEASE DO NOT SELL SAUDIS NUCLEAR REACTORS.

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

Netanyahu said to ask Trump not to sell Saudis nuclear reactors-And if you do go ahead, at least don't let Riyadh enrich its own uranium, PM reportedly urged US president; Saudis want up to 17 reactors, Iran-style enrichment rights-By TOI staff-11 March 2018, 9:17 pm 6

During talks in Washington this week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked US President Donald Trump not to go ahead with an emerging deal to sell Saudi Arabia nuclear reactors, Channel 10 news reported Friday.Trump reportedly refused to commit to halting the plan, telling Netanyahu that if the US did not supply the reactors, then the Russians or Chinese would, the report said, citing unnamed senior Israeli officials.In recent months Saudi Arabia has announced its intentions of embarking on a massive program to become “self-sufficient” in producing nuclear fuel. Preliminary plans suggest the Saudis may be looking to build as many as 17 reactors in all.Netanyahu’s requests come despite an apparent ongoing improvement in behind-the-scene ties between Jerusalem and Riyadh, ironically spurred by a joint desire to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and to fix the Iran nuclear deal. This week, the Saudis granted Air India permission to fly through Saudi airspace to Israel, a first in 70 years.During talks at the White House on Monday, Netanyahu and his team reportedly asked that, if the Americans insist on going ahead with building the reactors, Saudi Arabia be prevented from enriching uranium by itself, Channel 10 said. They demanded that this be a precondition for the entire deal.The Saudis meanwhile, are reportedly demanding the right to enrich uranium and have made it a condition to awarding the contracts — expected to be worth tens of  billions of dollars — to US companies.Trump did not give Netanyahu a final answer, but the two sides agreed that senior officials would continue to discuss the issue, the report said.Netanyahu’s office told Channel 10 in response that it does not comment on the content of closed-door talks.However, it noted that the prime minister has repeatedly warned of the many dangers of the Iran nuclear deal, including demands from other countries in the region to have the same rights as Iran was granted, including enriching uranium. The only way to prevent this is to fix the shortcomings of the deal or to cancel it, his office said.The White House had no comment.During a visit to the UN in New York on Thursday, Netanyahu apparently referred to his White House conversations on the nuclear issue. Netanyahu said he was asked in Washington about his position on other Middle East countries seeking to enrich uranium, and that he responded by asking why they would want to do that.US officials, he said, told him “the reason that they’re asking to enrich uranium is because Iran has received the right to enrich uranium under the dubious nuclear agreement.”“The best way to prevent the nuclearization of the Middle East is to either fully fix the Iran deal, or fully nix it,” he then said. “This is the only way to prevent the inevitable spread of nuclear technology and nuclear weapons in the Middle East.”Throughout his trip, Netanyahu repeatedly said he supports Trump’s ultimatum to the US Congress that it either modify the nuclear deal — by ending its sunset provisions, incorporating a ban on ballistic missile tests and granting greater access to Iran’s military sites — or he will abrogate it. The American legislature is now on a deadline of less than two months to reach an agreement.In December, Saudi Arabia’s energy minister said the US and Riyadh will begin talks within weeks on cooperation over the kingdom’s emergent civilian nuclear program.Khalid al-Falih told Reuters his nation would ask Washington to allow US companies to take part in the program.Falih noted that Saudi Arabia has already “signed agreements with China, Russia, with France, so their technologies will be competing for the Saudi national nuclear project.”US law forbids cooperation with nations that have not signed a so-called Section 123 Agreement, which limits nuclear work to peaceful uses only. Though Riyadh has said it does not seek a military program, it has said it seeks “self-sufficiency in producing nuclear fuel” and has in the past refused to sign an agreement that would limit its ability to enrich uranium.“We hope that through the negotiations that will be taking place over the next few weeks with our American partners that we will find common ground that will allow the American government to meet the intent of American law,” Falih said.“We absolutely want to harness nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. There should be no doubt about Saudi Arabian intentions. Whatever we do is going to be under strict compliance with international agreements,” he said.“But we will not deprive ourselves of accessing our natural resources and localizing an industry that we intend to be with us for the long term.”Officials in the famously oil-rich kingdom say nuclear power could fuel an economic boom.The kingdom has said it will establish a regulatory agency and pass the necessary legislative framework for a nuclear program within roughly a year.Saudi Arabia follows the neighboring United Arab Emirates, which is slated to open its own nuclear power reactor in 2018, and which has committed not to enrich uranium domestically.

UK, Saudi Arabia ‘call to disarm Hezbollah, rein in Iran’-In a joint statement, governments agree Lebanese terror group's destabilizing influence must be addressed-By TOI staff and AFP-MAR 11,18

Saui Arabia and the UK vowed in a joint statement Saturday to deepen ties and strategic cooperation on issues of common interest, including efforts to disarm Hezbollah and weaken Iran’s regional influence, Saudi press reported.According to the Saudi Press Agency, British Prime Minister Theresa May and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, at the end of the latter’s state visit to London, agreed that the Lebanese government should be supported in extending its control over Lebanese territory, and stated that it was important to “disarm the Hezbollah militia and confront its destabilizing role.”The two countries also discussed the need for Iran “to abide by the principles of good neighborliness, [and] non-interference in the internal affairs of countries,” and to “take concrete and practical steps to build confidence and resolve its differences with its neighbors by peaceful means.”The two nations further agreed on various avenues of future cooperation, including education, science, technology, and finance.Bin Salman was also greeted in the UK by Queen Elizabeth II.But his arrival drew protests on the streets of London over the brutal Yemen conflict.May defended the invitation when she was grilled in Parliament over why Prince Mohammed was being afforded the red carpet treatment during his three-day visit.“The link with Saudi Arabia we have is historic, it is an important one, and it has saved the lives of potentially hundreds of people in this country” due to anti-terrorism cooperation, she told MPs.“Their involvement in Yemen came at the request of the legitimate government of the Yemen, it is backed by the UN Security Council, and as such we support it.”The three-year conflict, which began with the Saudi-led intervention to fight Iran-backed Huthi rebels, has left 22.2 million people dependent on food aid, according to UN figures.Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accused May’s government of “colluding” in war crimes by selling arms to Saudi Arabia, and even suggested that British military advisers were “directing the war.”May responded that her relationship with Prince Mohammed had already helped alleviate the humanitarian crisis by convincing him to ease Saudi blockades of ports in Yemen during a meeting in December.The pair met at Downing Street for talks on reforms in Saudi Arabia, trade and investment relations, and defense and security cooperation.The crown prince noted there were now “huge opportunities” to boost trade ties post-Brexit.“I have no doubt that it’s a very deep relationship,” he added. “And it’s different and it’s not only about politics, or military, or intelligence, but also socially and economically.”Following the talks, a Downing Street spokeswoman said May “welcomed recent reforms in Saudi Arabia, including on women,” and had raised Britain’s “deep concerns” at the humanitarian situation in Yemen.“The prime minister and crown prince agreed on the importance of full and unfettered humanitarian and commercial access, including through the ports, and that a political solution was ultimately the only way to end the conflict and humanitarian suffering in Yemen.”The spokeswoman said the summit yielded “a landmark ambition” for around £65 billion ($90 billion) of mutual trade and investment opportunities in coming years in areas ranging from education to defense.She added this would include direct investment in Britain and “new Saudi public procurement with UK companies.”

Trump’s military parade to roll through Washington in November-Pentagon memo says event championed by president will focus on contributions of 'veterans throughout the history of the US military'-By AFP-TOI-MAR 11,18

WASHINGTON — Military vehicles will roll through Washington on November 11 in a salute to veterans, a Pentagon memo said Friday, detailing President Donald Trump’s dream of hosting a military parade.The White House announced a month ago that Trump had asked for a large-scale military parade, an unconventional call that immediately fueled comparisons with similar events in more autocratic countries.“This parade will focus on the contributions of our veterans throughout the history of the US military, starting from the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 to today, with an emphasis on the price of freedom,” said the memorandum for General Joe Dunford, who chairs the Joint Chiefs of Staff.The Defense Department had earlier said it was planning for “around” that date, which is known in the United States as Veterans Day and in other countries as Remembrance Day marking the end of World War I.Pentagon plans call for “wheeled vehicles only, no tanks,” as they would tear up city roads.There would also be “a heavy air component at the end of the parade, to include older aircraft as available,” according to the memo.The parade route will stretch roughly one mile from the White House to the Capitol, where Trump will review his troops surrounded by veterans and Medal of Honor recipients.Female veterans will be highlighted, and marchers representing previous wars will wear period uniforms, including historical dress from the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps.As planning continues, the memo gave no more details on the type of weaponry to be featured in the parade.Trump, the military’s commander-in-chief, received deferments from service during the Vietnam War.The last major parade in Washington was in 1991 after the Gulf War, when missiles and tanks moved through the streets of the capital.Since taking office, Trump has frequently touted his support for the US military and placed high-ranking generals in top White House and cabinet posts.The idea for a parade appears to have been rekindled when the president visited Paris for Bastille Day in July and made no secret of his awe for the pomp and ceremony of the occasion.Military parades are also a highlight of the calendar in Moscow and Pyongyang but are rare in the United States, where displays of patriotism usually take the form of flag-waving, fireworks and grilled hot dogs.

Putin suggests ‘Jews with Russian citizenship’ behind US election interference-Russian president 'couldn't care less' if his citizens involved in efforts to influence 2016 vote, says actions cannot be tied to Kremlin-By AP and AFP-TOI-MAR 11,18

WASHINGTON — Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with the NBC network over the weekend that Russians who sought to influence the results of the 2016 presidential elections could have been “Jews, but with Russian citizenship.”In the interview, a full transcript of which was released by the Kremlin on Saturday, the Russia president said “I do not care at all, because they do not represent the government.“Maybe they are not even Russians, but Ukrainians, Tatars or Jews, but with Russian citizenship, which should also be checked; maybe they have dual citizenship or a green card; maybe the US paid them for this. How can you know that? I do not know either,” he said.Putin insisted such efforts could not be tied to the Kremlin.“Why have you decided the Russian authorities, myself included, gave anybody permission to do this?” Putin asked in the often-combative interview.Special Counsel Robert Mueller is conducting a wide-ranging investigation to determine whether President Donald Trump’s campaign colluded with Moscow to help elect him.Last month Mueller indicted 13 Russian nationals and three Russian companies for allegedly backing Trump’s campaign, maligning his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton and engaging in other election interference.“So what if they’re Russians?” Putin said of the allegations.“There are 146 million Russians. So what?… I don’t care. I couldn’t care less… They do not represent the interests of the Russian state.”Mueller issued a 37-page indictment against the Russians but Putin indicated he has seen no evidence thus far that the alleged meddling broke any US law.“Are we the ones who imposed sanctions on the United States? The US imposed sanctions on us,” he said.“We in Russia cannot prosecute anyone as long as they have not violated Russian law… At least send us a piece of paper… Give us a document. Give us an official request. And we’ll take a look at it.”America’s leading intelligence agencies concluded last year that Putin himself had directed a broad intelligence effort to influence the US election to undermine Clinton’s campaign and boost Trump’s chances, but Trump has repeatedly denied colluding with Moscow.The Russian leader also rejected those assessments.“Could anyone really believe that Russia, thousands of miles away… influenced the outcome of the election? Doesn’t that sound ridiculous even to you?” Putin asked.Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, when he announced the Russian indictment, said it made no judgment on whether the alleged Russian propaganda campaign altered the outcome of the election which Trump won.“It’s not our goal to interfere. We do not see what goal we would accomplish by interfering. There’s no goal,” Putin said.Trump himself has repeatedly shied away from condemning Russia over the alleged meddling.US intelligence chiefs last month said Russian attempts to meddle in US politics are continuing unabated — and pose a threat to mid-term congressional elections in November.

DANIEL 7:23-24
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast (EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TRADING BLOCKS-10 WORLD REGIONS/TRADE BLOCS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings(10 NATIONS-10 WORLD DIVISION WORLD GOVERNMENT) that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.(THE EU (EUROPEAN UNION) TAKES OVER IRAQ WHICH HAS SPLIT INTO 3-SUNNI-KURD-SHIA PARTS-AND THE REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE IS BROUGHT BACK TOGETHER-THE TWO LEGS OF DANIEL WESTERN LEG AND THE ISLAMIC LEG COMBINED AS 1)

EU populism feeds on poverty, World Bank warns By Andrew Rettman-EUOBSERVER

BRUSSELS, 8. Mar, 09:27-The World Bank has warned that deepening economic inequality in the EU risked fuelling populist politics.The US-based development body is to say in a report, out on Thursday (8 March), that inequality has been "mounting in many parts of the EU since 1990 as low-income Europeans have been falling behind in the labor market."Its figures show that the earnings of the poorest 10 percent of Europeans fell by 7 percent in recent decades, while the earnings of the EU's wealthiest 10 percent grew by 66 percent.The report notes that poor regions in parts of eastern Europe, such as Hungary and Poland, still have less than 50 percent of the EU average GDP per capita, even though national economies in the east have prospered.It says most of southern Europe - Greece, Italy, and Spain - is falling further behind the EU curve due to low productivity and low growth.It also says that technological change has wiped out 15 percent of manual jobs in Europe in the past 15 years.Manual workers in Austria, Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Romania, and Slovenia, were the hardest hit, the report notes.The report adds, according to highlights released to press on Wednesday, that economic pessimism is rational in these areas and should be taken "very seriously" by EU institutions.It also warns that that pessimism can be easily exploited by populist politicians."The machine will stall unless steps are taken to ensure people benefit equally", Kristalina Georgieva, the World Bank chief executive and a former EU commissioner, said in a statement ahead of the publication.Arup Banerji, who is in charge of the EU countries department at the World Bank, said: "The EU is growing, but Europeans are not growing united".Georgieva added, in an interview with the Financial Times newspaper: "If left unattended, the risk is right there that people feel disenfranchised, disillusioned, and left behind.""There will be fertile ground for populism - not necessarily for [politicians] who come up with solutions, but people who come up with the right slogan," she added."The convergence machine of the EU is still working - but it's not working for everyone and there are signs of growing divides," she said."Low-income Europeans are falling behind in the labour market across much of the EU. If this is not addressed, there will be a growing inequality with all the consequences of that," Georgieva said.

Merkel, Macron delay plan to present euro zone reforms: Spiegel-[Reuters]YAHOONEWS-March 11, 2018

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron have postponed a plan to propose euro zone reforms at a summit of European leaders this month, Der Spiegel reported on Saturday."The thing has been canceled," an EU official with direct knowledge of the summit preparations told the German magazine. "There's simply nothing that could be announced."Merkel and Macron held out the prospect in December of presenting Franco-German proposals to strengthen the 19-member single currency bloc at a European Union summit in March.But German officials said Berlin needed more time to coordinate its euro zone plans with Paris due to the unusually long coalition negotiations after September's federal election, the magazine reported.A German government spokesman said he could neither confirm nor deny the report, adding that Merkel was determined to work closely with Macron on euro zone reforms."I could imagine that some things may be postponed since the formation of our government took a bit longer. But it's still too early to confirm this," spokesman Georg Streiter said.European Council President Donald Tusk said on Wednesday EU leaders would discuss global trade and the threat of a "serious trade dispute" at their summit on March 22-23.Merkel and Macron have repeatedly vowed to deepen Franco-German cooperation and give the European Union a fresh push towards closer integration.Without agreement between the two leaders, whose economies account for 50 percent of euro zone output, any ambition to upgrade Europe's economic and monetary union and help the bloc withstand future crises is unlikely to get off the ground.This year is seen as a critical but narrow window, with the European Parliament holding elections and Britain's exit from the EU reaching its deadline in 2019.The French government has singled out as priorities the completion of the euro zone's banking and capital markets union, and agreeing common rules in France and Germany for calculating corporate tax - ideally with an agreement by June.Macron has in the past been even more ambitious, talking about a need for the euro zone to have its own budget and finance minister, and for the currency bloc's rescue fund, the ESM, to be turned into a mechanism for helping member states pre-empt threats of financial instability.(Reporting by Michael Nienaber; Editing by Dale Hudson)

India, France to work for Indian Ocean freedom of navigation-[Associated Press]-ASHOK SHARMA-YAHOONEWS-March 11, 2018

NEW DELHI (AP) — India and France pledged Saturday to work together to ensure freedom of navigation in the Indian Ocean and signed an agreement to expedite construction of a major nuclear power plant in India by a French company.After talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in New Delhi, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also highlighted a solar alliance and cooperation between the two countries in defense, security, technology, space and counterterrorism.Macron, who arrived in New Delhi on Friday for a four-day visit to India, said France and India should be key partners."And I dream to have more and more Indian citizens coming to France — studying, becoming entrepreneurs, creating startups — and I want my country to be a best partner in Europe, an entry point," Macron said at a reception ceremony."I want to double the number of Indian students coming to France," he said later on Twitter.Modi said it was critical for the two countries to cooperate in the Indian Ocean region."Both our countries believe that for world peace, progress and prosperity in the future, the Indian Ocean region is going to play a very important role," he said.To help ensure freedom of navigation, the space agencies of the two countries signed an accord to help them detect, identify and monitor sea vessels.The United States considers India a critical anchor in a regional strategy for the Indian and Pacific Oceans to blunt an increasingly assertive China. India is rallying support of countries including France and Australia on the maritime security front.Shivani Singh, an Indian researcher on nuclear security, said France, like India, is an Indian Ocean power with a similar culture of strategic autonomy."France has the largest Exclusive Economic Zone in the world, of which 24 percent lies in the Indian Ocean region," Singh wrote on her blog on Friday.France has three Indian Ocean territories — Reunion, Mayotte and the French Southern and Antarctic Lands — comprising a total of almost 1 million French citizens."France also has military bases in Djibouti and the United Arab Emirates," Singh wrote. "This gives France significant sovereign, demographic and economic interests to defend militarily in the region."France and India also agreed to exchange information and technical experts in the fields of environment and climate change.The nuclear agreement is considered significant, with critics saying that Jaitpur, the site of the six-unit plant, which is to generate 9,900 megawatts of power in western India, is in a seismic zone. The opposition has grown since Japan's nuclear accident in 2011, with several villagers refusing to hand over their land to the Indian government for the project by the French nuclear energy company Areva.Another agreement envisages reciprocal logistical support between the two countries' armed forces.In 2016, India signed an $8.78 billion deal with France to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets in "ready to fly" condition, meaning they will be made in France.On Sunday, India and France will co-host the first meeting of the International Solar Alliance, an initiative launched by the two countries on the sidelines of the 2015 Paris Climate Conference.India says that access to solar technology is becoming a reality, with costs coming down and grid connectivity improving.The objective of the solar alliance of more than 120 countries is to work for efficient exploitation of solar energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.France is the ninth-largest foreign investor in India. Bilateral trade between the two countries touched $10.95 billion during April 2016 to March 2017, according to India's External Affairs ministry.India's main exports to France include textiles, boilers, electrical machinery and equipment, organic chemicals, railroad rolling stock, mineral fuels, leather goods, and gems and jewelry.France mainly exports aircraft, medical instruments, organic chemicals, iron and steel, plastics, pharmaceuticals and chemical products to India.Macron also paid homage to the tens of thousands of Indians who died in World War I, and said India is being invited to a major ceremony being planned in Paris for Nov. 11, the 100th anniversary of the war's end.

S.L Events watch-@prophecyguy777-MAR 11,18-36m36 minutes ago
YES CANADA FINALLY GOT A TRUMP. DOUG FORD WILL BE THE PC TRUMP. AND WE HAVE A SORE LOSER LIKE CLINTON IN AMERICA-ELLIOTT. CANADA WILL EASILY BECOME A CONSERVATIVE NATION NOW. GO FORD GO.LIBS WILL BE CRYIN IN CANADA NOW. BYE LIB-DEMS. CONSERVATIVES RULE.

CHRISTINE ELLIOTT FINALLY CONCEDED TO DOUG FORD LATE SUNDAY.

Doug Ford named new Ontario Progressive Conservative party leader-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-March 11, 2018

MARKHAM, Ont. — A heated battle for the reins of Ontario's Progressive Conservatives that exposed deep rifts within the party continued to smolder even after Doug Ford was crowned the new leader on Saturday.Party president Jag Badwal announced the results seven hours later than scheduled, saying the former Toronto city councillor had narrowly eked out a win over former provincial legislator Christine Elliott on the third ballot.But Elliott, who had made her third bid to lead the party, released a statement early Sunday morning alleging there had been "serious irregularities" in the vote and vowing to investigate further.Her comments came after the party said it had reviewed certain aspects of the vote and cleared all issues before announcing Ford's victory.Ford made little mention of the review or the delays in his victory speech, focusing instead on the June election in which he will now face Liberal Premier Kathleen Wynne."The people of Ontario want the Ontario Liberals gone and they deserve nothing less," Ford, who was flanked by Granic Allen, told the sparse but enthusiastic crowd in Markham, Ont., that remained to hear the results."We're going to spend the coming weeks getting the party in fighting shape, because the people of this province are ready for change."Ford said he hadn't spoken to Elliott, and vowed to hold a news conference "in the coming days" but gave no specifics.Elliott said she had won the popular vote and the majority of ridings, and noted that very few electoral points separated her and Ford in the final count. She also said thousands of party members were assigned to incorrect ridings during the voting process."I will stand up for these members and plan to investigate the extent of this discrepancy," she said.Toronto lawyer Caroline Mulroney placed third in the race, while social conservative advocate Tanya Granic Allen finished last.The governing Liberals were quick to denounce Ford, who is known for being the brother of late scandal-plagued mayor Rob Ford."The Conservative party is going into this election with more radically conservative policies than Mike Harris, Tim Hudak or Stephen Harper ever ran on," Liberal campaign co-chair Deb Matthews said."The billions in cuts they are promising and the divisive social conservative policies they are championing will hurt Ontario's economy and change our province for the worse."Doug Ford's victory was announced after 10 p.m., without any of the pomp and fanfare that was expected earlier in the day when hundreds packed a hall expecting to celebrate the start of a new and more positive chapter in party history.Instead, after a 4.5-hour delay, the chair of the party's leadership election organizing committee dismissed the irate crowd Saturday evening with a terse statement about the need for a review of the results and announced the issue would be resolved in the "short term.""There's a review underway of an allocation of a certain list of electors that needs to be resolved because it may have an impact on electoral votes," Hartley Lefton said, his words increasingly drowned out by jeers and boos.Lefton dismissed assembled party members from the hall they'd occupied since late Saturday morning, saying the organization no longer had access to the premises.William Coleman, a staunch Ford supporter, said he was angry at the party's handling of what should have been a turning point and worried the delays and confusion over who won could affect the party's image at a time when it is striving to appear united and authoritative."If we're going to win the general election ... stuff like this only makes things worse," he said.Others appeared undisturbed, saying the hurdles would be long forgotten once a leader was chosen."Whatever it takes, as long as we get it right and then we're behind whoever the candidate is," said Jeffrey Thomson, a longtime party member.More than 64,000 votes were cast in the hastily organized leadership race.Cristine de Clercy, an associate professor of political science at Western University, said the party's handling of the delays Saturday was "a dismal failure.""This was pretty much the most mishandled party executive communication exercise I've ever witnessed on television," she said."This party is very clearly very fractured ... That made it even more important that this executive running this election had to be perfect ... Unfortunately the thing blew apart today."The contest was launched in late January after former leader Patrick Brown resigned abruptly amid allegations of sexual misconduct that he has consistently denied.Brown tweeted his congratulations to Ford on his victory."We are all behind our new leader and focused on our common goal of defeating the disastrous Wynne Liberal government," he said.Mulroney, the only candidate to be nominated in a riding, also tweeted her support for Ford and said she would be back knocking on doors Sunday."Today, we leave this convention united with one common goal, finally firing Kathleen Wynne," she said.Saturday's delay in announcing a winner was the latest in a long list of challenges that have plagued the party since Brown's departure.The party uncovered issues with its structure, problems with its nomination processes, and discrepancies in its membership numbers, leading interim leader Vic Fedeli to declare he would "root out the rot" before handing over the reins to a new leader.The leadership race itself stirred strife and forced party brass to defend their decisions on a number of fronts.Chief among these were a number of complaints about the complex rules for the online vote, including repeated claims that the necessary voting documents sent via regular mail were not reaching party members on time.A lawyer even filed a request for a court injunction the day before the leadership convention seeking to delay the decision by a week to give more members a chance to receive their documents and cast a ballot, but a judge dismissed the request.—with files by Michelle McQuigge in Toronto.Paola Loriggio, The Canadian Press.

Christine Elliott promised PCs unity, but refuses to unite behind Doug Ford-[CBC]-YAHOONEWS-CBCMarch 11, 2018

It was supposed to be a glorious moment for the Ontario PCs: revealing their new leader in an energy-filled ballroom, showcasing a rejuvenated, united party to a big TV audience, proving to voters that they are ready to win the election in June.Instead, the Progressive Conservatives announced the winner in a small and drab meeting room, at 10 p.m. on a Saturday, with no music or bright lights, and only a handful of party members around to applaud Doug Ford's low-key victory speech.Even that muted celebration is now being thrown into doubt. Christine Elliott is refusing to concede defeat.Elliott pitched herself to the Ontario PC faithful as the candidate who would best unite the party. But as Saturday turned into Sunday, she issued a written statement that said absolutely nothing about party unity. She pointedly did not congratulate Ford, and continued to dispute the result."This evening our campaign was made aware of serious irregularities with respect to this leadership race," said Elliott in the statement."Thousands of members have been assigned to incorrect ridings," she continued. "In a race this close, largely determined by geography, someone needs to stand up for these members." Elliott said she intends "to investigate the extent of this discrepancy." Party officials have already looked into the discrepancy and rejected Elliott's appeal."The issue was extensively investigated by the chief electoral officer and the election team," said Hartley Lefton, chair of the committee that organized the leadership vote, late Saturday night. "The conclusion of the electoral officer was that the identified issue would not statistically lead to a change in the outcome."So, now what? If Elliott chooses to continue to dispute the result, her only recourse is to go to court. (The decision of the party appeals board that dismissed her challenge is final.) It opens up the spectre of even more turmoil for a party that has endured plenty in the mere six weeks since Patrick Brown resigned as leader, following allegations of sexual misconduct. - A battle royale ensued over whether even to have a leadership race, or just let interim leader Vic Fedeli carry the banner into the election. - Ford stirred the pot by announcing he was seeking the leadership, a pre-emptive strike before a leadership race was in the works. - Brown launched an attempt to reclaim his reputation, claiming inconsistencies in the stories of the women who accused him of sexual impropriety. He clawed his way into the leadership race to replace himself, then dropped out. - Campaigns said hundreds (if not thousands) of party members failed to get the paperwork in the mail that they needed to vote online. A court case seeking an extension of the race was rejected the night before the winner was to be announced. All the while Ontario crept closer to an election campaign. The governing Liberals and the NDP have been busily working away preparing their campaigns while the PCs were embroiled in the kind of nasty internal battle that can only happen when a party is so close to winning power it can taste it.That battle is still not over, pending Elliott's next move. Her senior campaign officials are not ruling out taking it to court.Saturday night clearly did not project the image the PC party wanted to offer Ontario. People on Ford's campaign tell me they believe Elliott's questioning of the results for hours and hours robbed him of that special moment in the spotlight of being crowned party leader in front of a packed room of supporters.It is hard to see how Elliott can now reverse course, offer Ford her wholehearted support and persuade Ontarians that the party is not deeply riven with bad blood.At several points during the wild roller-coaster ride that this leadership race has been, my colleagues at Queen's Park and I have asked one another: "Could this possibly have any more twists and turns?" The answer, it seems, is yes.

Ont. Tories to reveal new leader who will take embattled party through election-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-March 11, 2018

TORONTO — Ontario's embattled Opposition will reveal today who will lead the party through a spring election after weeks of unprecedented chaos that exposed deep rifts and tensions within its ranks.Four candidates — former Tory legislator Christine Elliott, former Toronto city councillor Doug Ford, Toronto lawyer and businesswoman Caroline Mulroney and parental rights advocate Tanya Granic Allen — are competing to lead the Progressive Conservatives.Elliott has painted herself as the only one with the political experience to get the party election-ready in time, while Ford has said his business sense equips him to cut government waste.Meanwhile, Mulroney — the only leadership hopeful already declared a candidate in a riding — has presented herself as a fresh face, and Granic Allen has emphasized her ties to the party's grassroots.While all four have pledged to scrap a proposed carbon tax that formed a key pillar of the party's election platform introduced in November under former leader Patrick Brown, the race has focused less on detailed policy promises and more on the party's culture.The Tories were plunged into turmoil when Brown stepped down in late January amid allegations of sexual misconduct, which he has consistently denied.His abrupt departure uncovered issues with the party's structure, problems with its nomination processes, and discrepancies in its membership numbers, leading the Tories' interim leader to declare he would "root out the rot" before handing over the reins to a new leader.The party has since reopened two nominations in contested ridings and abandoned a legal battle with a former party member who clashed with Brown over the nominations and other issues.The Tories have also upgraded their IT system in response to a cyberattack last fall and cut undisclosed contracts in their effort to move past the wave of controversies that has drawn national attention in recent weeks.But the leadership race itself has stirred strife and forced party brass to defend their decisions on a number of fronts.Tensions grew when Brown, fresh off a campaign to clear his name, announced he would throw his hat in the ring in an attempt to reclaim his job.Some of Brown's rivals initially denounced his candidacy, calling it a distraction, but then stepped back to focus on their own campaigns. Mulroney, however, called for him to back out of the race, which he eventually did, citing the strain on his friends and relatives.All four candidates have also raised the alarm over possible membership fraud and delays in member registration. The party said it was aware of those concerns and twice pushed back the deadline for party members to register for the vote.Ford, Mulroney and Granic Allen pushed for the party to extend the race by a week to allow votes from those who received key documents late, but the leadership election organizing committee said doing so would contravene the party's constitution.A lawyer representing one disenfranchised party member sought a court order Friday to have the voting period for the race extended for a week. A judge ruled Friday evening to reject the application.As of 8 a.m. Friday, 71,402 party members had been verified and the party confirmed that 64,053 members had voted when balloting closed at noon Friday.Paola Loriggio , The Canadian Press.

EARTH DESTROYED WITH THE EARTH IN NOAHS DAY(BECAUSE OF SIN,VIOLENCE AND GODLESS PEOPLE)

GENESIS 6:11-13
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.(WORLD TERRORISM,MURDERS)(HAMAS IN HEBREW IS VIOLENCE)
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence (TERRORISM)(HAMAS) through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

HOSEA 4:1-3
1 Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.
2 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.
3 Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.

DEUTORONOMY 28:22-24
22  The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish.
23  And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron.
24  The LORD shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed.

WORLD POWERS IN THE LAST DAYS (END OF AGE OF GRACE NOT THE WORLD)

EUROPEAN UNION-KING OF WEST-DAN 9:26-27,DAN 7:23-24,DAN 11:40,REV 13:1-10
EGYPT-KING OF THE SOUTH-DAN 11:40
RUSSIA-KING OF THE NORTH-EZEK 38:1-2,EZEK 39:1-3
CHINA-KING OF THE EAST-DAN 11:44,REV 9:16,18
VATICAN-RELIGIOUS LEADER-REV 13:11-18,REV 17:4-5,9,18

WORLD TERRORISM

GENESIS 16:11-12
11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her,(HAGAR) Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael;(FATHER OF THE ARAB/MUSLIMS) because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
12 And he (ISHMAEL-FATHER OF THE ARAB-MUSLIMS) will be a wild (DONKEY-JACKASS) man;(ISLAM IS A FAKE AND DANGEROUS SEX FOR MURDER CULT) his hand will be against every man,(ISLAM HATES EVERYONE) and every man's hand against him;(PROTECTING THEMSELVES FROM BEING BEHEADED) and he (ISHMAEL ARAB/MUSLIM) shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.(LITERAL-THE ARABS LIVE WITH THEIR BRETHERN JEWS)

ISAIAH 14:12-14
12  How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer,(SATAN) son of the morning!(HEBREW-CRECENT MOON-ISLAM) how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13  For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14  I (SATAN HAS EYE TROUBLES) will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.(AND 1/3RD OF THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN FELL WITH SATAN AND BECAME DEMONS)

JOHN 16:2
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.(ISLAM MURDERS IN THE NAME OF MOON GOD ALLAH OF ISLAM)

Chinese official warns against creeping Islamisation-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-March 11, 2018

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese Muslims need to guard against creeping Islamisation, including mosques that copy foreign styles, and strive to practice their faith in a more Chinese way, a senior Chinese Islamic official said on Saturday.China is home to roughly 20 million Muslims, many living in the western part of the country, from the Uighurs of Xinjiang who speak a Turkic language to the largely sinified Hui people.While China officially guarantees freedom of religion, it has in recent years tightened controls in heavily Muslim areas, nervous about the possibility of radicalisation and violence.Speaking to the largely ceremonial advisory body to China's parliament, Yang Faming, head of the government-linked China Islamic Association, said Islam had a long and glorious history in the country.But Yang warned of problems he said had become apparent in recent years which could not be overlooked, according to a copy of his speech carried by the official Xinhua news agency."For example, some mosques' construction style blindly imitates foreign models. In some areas the concept of halal has become common, and religion interferes in secular life," he said."Some people set great store on religious rules and much less on national law, only knowing what it is to be a believer and not what it is to be a citizen," Yang added. "We must certainly remain on high alert."Islam in China must uphold the successful experience of becoming more Chinese, be guided by core socialist values and oppose radicalisation, he said.Religious practices, culture and the architecture of religious buildings must be Chinese in nature and style, Yang added.Parliament and its advisory body are holding their annual session.China has blamed a series of attacks in recent years in Xinjiang, which sits on the borders of Central Asia and Pakistan, on Islamist militants. Rights groups say the unrest is more a reaction to Chinese controls on the religious and cultural rights of the Uighurs who live there.China denies accusations of repression in Xinjiang.China's image among the wider Muslim community around the world is important to Beijing as it pushes President Xi Jinping's "Belt and Road" initiative to invest billions of dollars building infrastructure linking Asia, Europe and Africa.(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Dale Hudson)

UN: Some rape victims of Islamic State 'like living corpses'-[Associated Press]-EDITH M. LEDERER-YAHOONEWS-March 10, 2018

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. envoy for sexual violence in conflict who just returned from Iraq said Friday she found "a gross lack" of support for women and girls who were raped and forced into sexual slavery by Islamic State extremists, and survivors she met "were like living corpses."Pramila Patten said the survivors were released early this year and told her they are confined to camps because of the double stigma of being victims of sexual violence and sexual slavery, and of being associated with IS — and fear of being perceived as an affiliate of the militant group."Some also expressed a fear of being detained," she told a news conference Friday. "So they are very much confined, including by their parents. They are not stepping out of their camp and have not had an opportunity to avail themselves of even the limited psycho-social support that there is inside the camp."Patten, who visited Iraq from Feb. 26-March 5, said many women who remain displaced expressed serious concerns for their safety if they return home and shared their fear of reprisals.She said she met with all religious leaders, and while "they show a lot of empathy toward the women returning" she was told that Turkmen women will be rejected by their community. And she said Yazidi women, who have historically been subjected to persecution, expressed a wish to leave Iraq.During a lightning charge in June 2014, IS fighters took over Iraq's second-largest city, Mosul, and nearly a third of the country, plunging it into the most severe crisis since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. Mosul was liberated last July, and Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared an end to the Islamic States' self-styled caliphate.But Patten said the impact of the conflict and IS occupation is impacting not only the women but their children.She said provincial authorities in Mosul told her women who were raped and held as sex slaves have abandoned their children born to IS fighters. As a result, she said, the authorities have had to set up orphanages for "thousands of children."Patten said she will be seeking more information about the orphans, who are from all religious faiths — Turkmen, Shiite, and Yazidi.In talks with prime minister Abadi and regional and provincial officials, she said it was essential to shift "the stigma from the victims to the perpetrators."Despite all humanitarian efforts, Patten said, "I find a gross lack of both physical and mental health, psycho-social support, and especially in the quality of the psycho-social support that is required by survivors of sexual violence.""There is a need for very specialized service, which I think is simply not there," she said.In her meetings, Patten said she also called for a scaling-up of medical, mental health and psychological services and economic opportunities for victims of sexual violence.Patten said she also relayed to government officials a strong message from survivors to step up efforts to free those still in captivity and locate the missing.According to officials dealing with genocide and religious leaders, she said, 3,154 Yazidis are missing including 1,471 women and girls — and 1,200 Turkmen are missing including 600 women and 250 children.

Syrian army gains ground in intensified Ghouta assault-[Reuters]-By Angus McDowall-YAHOONEWS-March 11, 2018

BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Syrian army intensified its onslaught in eastern Ghouta on Saturday with advances that a war monitor and state media said had splintered the enclave, though a rebel official denied this.Syrian state television broadcast from inside Mesraba, a town lying along the road connecting the northern and southern halves of the rebel-held stronghold.The capture of Mesraba and advances into nearby farmland brought important roads directly under fire by the army, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.That has in effect cut the large towns of Harasta and Douma off from each other and the rest of the enclave, it added.However, Hamza Birqadar, a spokesman for Jaish al-Islam, one of the two main insurgent groups in eastern Ghouta, denied that either Harasta or Douma had been cut off.The relentless three-week assault on the last major rebel stronghold near Damascus has captured about half its area and killed 976 people, according to the Britain-based Observatory.State television showed a huge plume of dark smoke rising behind houses and trees in eastern Ghouta, with the sound of blasts in the background.Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Russia, his main ally, say the campaign is needed to end rebel shelling of Damascus and end the rule of Islamist insurgents over the area's civilians.The offensive follows the pattern of previous assaults on rebel strongholds, deploying air power and tight sieges to force insurgents to accept "evacuation" deals.These involve rebels surrendering territory in exchange for safe passage to opposition areas in northwest Syria, along with their families and other civilians who do not want to come back under Assad's rule.Late on Friday, a small number of fighters and their families from the former al Qaeda affiliate previously known as the Nusra Front left eastern Ghouta under such a deal.But the group represents only a small portion of the insurgent presence in the enclave. Jaish al-Islam and the other main eastern Ghouta rebel group Failaq al-Rahman have said they are not negotiating a similar deal for themselves.Capturing the enclave would represent Assad's biggest blow against the rebels since they were driven from Aleppo in December 2016.It would seal a string of military victories for the Syrian leader since the entry of Russian jets into the war on his side in 2015 turned the course of the conflict against the insurgents.SHORTAGES-The intensity of the government's attack on an enclave that has been besieged since 2013 and suffers acute shortages of food and medical supplies has drawn Western condemnation and demands by U.N. aid agencies for a humanitarian halt in fighting.State television broadcast from Mesraba showed a large group of civilians hiding in a house. People across eastern Ghouta have sheltered in basements from the ceaseless bombardment in recent weeks.A middle-aged man interviewed by the channel shouted slogans in support of Assad and against the rebels while women and small children stood behind him as men in army uniforms looked on.State media said the 60 civilians found in Mesraba by the army had been held by insurgents as human shields, something the rebel groups deny.Footage taken on the streets of Mesraba showed tanks near half-collapsed buildings and walls pocked with bullet holes.The United Nations estimates that 400,000 people are trapped in eastern Ghouta."Living conditions are harsh ... Shop owners and traders are sending their workers to the shelters to sell food for three times the price before the offensive," said a man in the eastern Ghouta town of Saqba who identified himself as Abu Abdo in a voice message.Aid agencies have tried to deliver food and medicine into eastern Ghouta, but have been able only to bring in a portion of the amount they wanted.A convoy was unable to finish unloading on Monday because of continued fighting, bringing in the remaining undelivered food parcels on Friday despite bombardment nearby.However, U.N. agencies said most medical supplies had been stripped from the convoy by Syrian government officials and that the food supplies brought in were insufficient.Medical charities operating in eastern Ghouta have reported several incidents in recent weeks of what they say was chlorine gas use in government bombardments, causing choking symptoms.On Saturday, Syria's deputy foreign minister, Faisal Mekdad, rejected those charges and accused the United States of orchestrating the accusations in order to support militant groups. "We did not deny a single request for investigation," Mekdad told a news conference.The government has opened what it says are several safe routes out of eastern Ghouta for civilians, but none are known to have left so far. Damascus and Moscow accuse the rebels of preventing people from fleeing the fighting.Insurgent groups in eastern Ghouta deny this, saying people have not left for fear of government persecution, but a Reuters witness on Friday saw gunfire and mortar fire from inside rebel territory near one of the crossing points.Sajjad Malik, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees representative in Syria, who went in with the convoy on Monday, said in comments published on the agency's website that people did not feel safe to leave.People in Douma told him they feared crossing rebel checkpoints and were uncertain whether they would be safe when they reached government-held areas, Malik said.(Reporting by Angus McDowall; Additional reporting by Kinda Makieh in Damascus; Editing by Dale Hudson and Gareth Jones)

Erdogan vows to press Syria offensive to key Kurdish-held towns-[AFP]-YAHOONEWS-March 11, 2018

Istanbul (AFP) - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday vowed to expand Turkey's offensive in Syria against Kurdish militia to key border towns controlled by the group right up to the Iraqi frontier.Turkey launched its operation seeking to oust Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia from the Afrin region of northern Syria on January 20 and Erdogan said Thursday its forces could now enter Afrin town at "any moment".But Ankara has always threatened to expand the operation to the east to oust the YPG from the swathe of territory it controls right up to Iraq.Speaking to supporters in the city of Mersin, Erdogan said the Turkish army and allied Syrian rebels wanted to oust the YPG from all the towns they control close to the Turkish border."Once we have purged the terrorists (from Afrin) we will then cleanse them from Manbij, Ayn al-Arab, Tel-Abyad, Ras al-Ayn and Qamishli," he said in televised comments.Manbij, the next main YPG-held town east of Afrin, is a particular flashpoint as it has an American military presence there.Ayn al-Arab, better known by its Kurdish name Kobane, has huge symbolic importance as it was the epicentre of a struggle with Islamic State (IS) jihadists which was eventually won by the Kurds.Qamishli is seen as the main town of the YPG-controlled region.Turkey regards the YPG as a terror group and a branch of militants in Turkey who have waged an insurgency for decades.The United States however has worked closely with the YPG in the fight against IS and the campaign has raised tensions with Turkey's NATO ally Washington.Erdogan questioned why NATO had not come to Turkey's aid in its Syria operation when Ankara had backed critical alliance campaigns worldwide."Hey NATO where are you?" Erdogan asked. "We came in response to the calls on Afghanistan, Somalia and the Balkans, and now I am making the call, let's go to Syria. Why don't you come?"On Saturday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said the Turkish forces were now four kilometres (2.5 miles) from Afrin town.

Syrian troops cut major roads in suburbs of Damascus-[Associated Press]-BASSEM MROUE-YAHOONEWS-March 11, 2018

BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian government forces succeeded Saturday in their deepest push yet into the eastern suburbs of the capital Damascus, cutting off a major highway that made it hard to move between three parts of the rebel-held area, and inflicting a major blow to opposition fighters who have vowed not to surrender.Syrian state media and an opposition monitoring group said government forces have laid siege on the rebel-held town of Harasta, cutting it off from the rest of the suburbs known as eastern Ghouta.Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said government forces have also cut off the main highway that links northern Ghouta with its southern parts, isolating the town of Douma, the largest in the area.The government-controlled Syrian Central Military Media said troops captured the Kilani gas station on the main highway linking Douma with Harasata and those two areas with the rest of eastern Ghouta. Residents will have to rely on unpaved roads to move in eastern Ghouta but that is difficult because of the intensity of shelling and airstrikes, activists said."The regime has cut Ghouta into three parts by cutting the main roads linking them," said the Observatory's chief Rami Abdurrahman.The government and its Russian backers, determined to wrest eastern Ghouta from rebel control after seven years of war, recently intensified the shelling and bombardment to clear the way for its troops to advance on the ground. Nearly 1,000 people have been killed in the past three weeks of relentless bombardment.SCMM said troops on Saturday reached the center of the town of Misraba, adding that opposition fighters are crumbling amid the offensive. Syrian state TV aired live footage from inside the town and saying that troops are less than a kilometer (0.6 miles) from troops on the western side. Reaching them would physically cut northern parts of eastern Ghouta from its southern parts."The Syrian Arab Army soldiers marching from three sides could meet soon," said Rabih Dibi, a reporter with state-run Ikhbariyah TV in his report from Misraba.TV footage later showed dozens of men, women and children crowded in an underground basement in Misraba after troops captured the area. The TV station said authorities will move the nearly 60 people to a safe location where they will be given shelter and food."Once you came in we felt well," said one of the women in the basement. Another man said there were 15 families in the basement who have been hiding for days.Ikhbariyah reported that government forces and their allies captured farms outside the village of Aftris and are now marching toward the village. It added that troops are also moving toward the town of Jisreen on the southern edge of eastern Ghouta.The Observatory reported that troops are advancing under the cover of attacks by warplanes and helicopter gunships and confirmed that government forces captured large parts of Misraba."The bombing is so intense. Warplanes haven't left the skies for 24 hours," opposition activist Anas al-Dimashqi told The Associated Press via text messages from the rebel-held town of Kfar Batna. "The advance is the result of a scorched earth policy."Syria's deputy foreign minister Faisal Mekdad denied in a news conference held in Damascus opposition charges that government forces used poison gas in their attacks on eastern Ghouta.Mekdad added that insurgents groups in the eastern Ghouta are preparing "to fabricate" more such attacks to blame the Syrian army.Maj.-Gen. Vladimir Zolotukhin, of the Russian center for reconciliation of the warring parties in Syria, said Saturday negotiations were being conducted about the withdrawal of rebel fighters from Syria's besieged East Ghouta. He said rebel artillery fire from East Ghouta hit residential areas of the capital Damascus and its suburbs, killing at least one person."Tense negotiations continue between representatives of the Center ... leaders of the illegal armed formations of the Syrian opposition in order to reach an agreement on the withdrawal of the second line of militants from the zone of de-escalation of East Ghouta," he said, according to Russian news agencies.On Friday, the second largest rebel group Failaq al-Rahman lost its second-in-command Diaa Shaghoury, who was killed in fighting against government forces, the group said.The Observatory said three weeks of fighting have left 976 people dead, including nearly 200 children. The group said the dead also include 146 soldiers and pro-government gunmen.

Spy poisoning is latest in string of suspicious cases in UK-[Associated Press]-GREGORY KATZ-YAHOONEWS-March 11, 2018

LONDON (AP) — Britain offers wealthy Russians many attractions: the great city of London, the bucolic countryside, exclusive schools, and a global financial hub. But for some former spies and other foes of President Vladimir Putin, it has become lethal.The latest victims near death's door are 66-year-old Sergei Skripal — a former colonel in Russia's military intelligence service, then a turncoat helping British agents — and his 33-year-old daughter Yulia. Both were found comatose on a public bench Sunday in the medieval English city of Salisbury.British officials say they were exposed to a rare nerve agent of undetermined origin. Their prognosis is unclear; officials have not said if they have suffered irreversible damage.Some in Britain say the nerve agent attack fits a pattern of suspicious Russian-related deaths in the U.K. and in the United States, and are calling for a high level police investigation into whether Britain has become a killing ground for the state-sanctioned elimination of foes of the Russian government.The brazen assault has not been formally blamed on the Russian government, but it is raising hard questions on how to deal with Russia's increasingly aggressive stance — even as officials in the U.S. are trying to determine how to respond to Russian interference in U.S. elections.Several politicians, analysts and intelligence agencies believe the case of Skripal, who moved to Britain after he was freed in 2010, may prove to be the work of the Russian government, Russian organized crime groups, or a fluid alliance of the two."Russian leaders seem to go out of their way to get rid of anybody that seems to be in their way, someone who's betrayed them, someone who's interrupting the money flow, and they don't seem to care about borders, they just go wherever they have to go to get their guy," said Joe Serio, the American author of "Investigating the Russian Mafia," who spent nearly ten years with the anti-organized crime unit of Moscow's police."Britain happens to be one of the central places where Russians flee. It's the gateway to the West, the seat of the language, the seat of the empire, the seat of major finance," he said.Yvette Cooper, chairwoman of the Home Affairs committee in Parliament that reviews police and intelligence matters, and Ian Blair, former head of the Metropolitan Police that is spearheading the inquiry, both said this week that a string of unexplained deaths must be investigated in light of the latest attack. Cooper cited a BuzzFeed News investigation into 14 deaths that may have been the result of foul play."No attempt on an innocent life on British soil should go uninvestigated or unpunished," said Cooper, who called for the National Crime Agency to scrutinize the 14 deaths in light of reports that U.S. intelligence officials believe they may be linked to Russia — even though British police have not reached the same conclusion in most cases.There was also a chilling message from Moscow in the days after the attack on Skripal, delivered by a Russian state television news anchorman who warned potential double agents they should expect a shortened life span in Britain."Alcoholism, drug addiction, stress and depression are inevitable professional illnesses of a traitor resulting in heart attacks and even suicide," Kirill Kleimenov said.He didn't mention nerve agents — or radioactive poisons, like the one used against former spy Alexander Litvinenko in 2006 — as other possible risk factors.The Litvinenko case is the best documented. The former KGB agent who had defected to Britain and publicly criticized Putin died in November 2006, three weeks after drinking tea containing the radioactive isotope polonium-210.Litvinenko died slowly, with the poison transforming him into a stick-thin figure wasting away on a hospital bed, and he blamed Putin shortly before he died. A decade later, a laborious public inquiry concluded he had been killed by Russia's security service, "probably" with Putin's approval.Less clear is the 2013 demise of Boris Berezovsky, an affluent Russian businessman who moved to Britain in the early 2000s after breaking with Putin.He was an outspoken critic of Putin's policies, and at times was allied with Litvinenko, until he was found dead on a bathroom floor at his home in southern England. He had a scarf around his neck, leading many to think he had taken his own life, but after an inquest the coroner concluded it was not possible to establish beyond a reasonable doubt whether the oligarch was killed or committed suicide.There are also serious doubts about the 2012 death of Alexander Perepilichny, a Russian businessman who provided vital testimony against Russian officials accused of stealing $230 million from a London hedge fund.He died near his rented home while jogging. Two autopsies were inconclusive, with no obvious signs of foul play, but colleagues suspect he may have been poisoned with a rare, difficult-to-detect plant. A coroner's inquest is underway but no cause of death has been established.Unusual deaths have also taken place outside of Britain. The 2015 death of former Putin aide Mikhail Lesin in a Washington hotel room was officially blamed by the District of Columbia's chief medical examiner on accidental injuries suffered after days of heavy drinking, but officials never explained how he got the blunt force injuries to his head and body.The military-backed investigation of the Skripal case has transformed the pleasant city of Salisbury into a major crime scene. Specialist police in oversize yellow hazardous material gear are searching for clues, and forensics tents have been erected over suspicious areas — including the gravesite of Skripal's son, who died last year.The goals are to remove any vestiges of the nerve agent that might threaten the public, determine what specific nerve agent was used and — even more important — where it might have been manufactured.That could go a long way toward determining if the crime indeed has Russian origins or if the early speculation is off base.Serio, who worked with Moscow police, said it may turn out that the Russian government was not directly involved."I've seen many dramatic situations like these where, after the dust settles, it comes down to business interests, whether that business is contracts and money or information and spying," he said. "I'd start with Skripal's activities. Was he involved in business, private security, intelligence-related matters? Was he doing private consulting for companies? It's either betrayal, politics, or you're messing with my money," he said. "These guys are relentless."If the forensic evidence provides indisputable proof of Russian government involvement, Britain will have to make good on public vows to punish Russia made by Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and other senior figures.But the arsenal at Prime Minister Theresa May's disposal is limited, in part because promising relations between the two countries soured after the Litvinenko case and Russia's intervention in Ukraine."I'm not sure there are a lot of clear options for the U.K. government on this," said Robin Niblett, director of the Chatham House think tank. "Expulsion of diplomats. No Prince William at the World Cup in Russia. Some lobbying with the European Union, making political capital, saying this is why you need sanctions in place."He does not believe British police and courts have been lax. Instead, he said the Russians have been effective in a crackdown on former agents who cooperate with British intelligence."The Russian have been very good at covering their tracks," he said. "A lot of this stuff is really difficult to prove. And if you don't have clear evidence, what's the point of going into court?

California gunman who killed three in veteran center was ex-patient-Three women devoted to helping traumatized soldiers shot dead by Afghanistan war veteran; authorities say motive unclear-By Ellen Knickmeyer and Janie Har-TOI-MAR 11,18

YOUNTVILLE, California (AP) — Three women who devoted their lives to helping traumatized veterans were killed by a patient who had been kicked out of their Northern California treatment program, authorities and a relative of a victim said.A daylong siege at The Pathway Home ended Friday evening with the discovery of four bodies, including the gunman. He was identified as Albert Wong, 36, a former Army rifleman who served a year in Afghanistan in 2011-2012.Investigators were still trying to determine when and why Wong killed two executives and a psychologist at The Pathway Home, a nonprofit post-traumatic stress disorder program at the Veterans Home of California-Yountville in the Napa Valley wine country region.It was “far too early to say if they were chosen at random” because investigators had not yet determined a motive, California Highway Patrol Assistant Chief Chris Childs said.Gov. Jerry Brown ordered flags flown at half-staff at the capitol in memory of the victims. They were identified as The Pathway Home Executive Director Christine Loeber, 48; Clinical Director Jennifer Golick, 42; and Jennifer Gonzales, 29, a clinical psychologist with the San Francisco Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare System.“These brave women were accomplished professionals who dedicated their careers to serving our nation’s veterans, working closely with those in the greatest need of attention after deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan,” The Pathway Home said in a statement.Golick’s father-in-law, Bob Golick, said in an interview she had recently expelled Wong from the program.The Pathway Home is located on the sprawling campus of the veterans center, which cares for about 1,000 elderly and disabled vets.It is the largest veterans home in the nation, according to the state Department of Veterans Affairs.Wong went to the campus about 53 miles (85 kilometers) north of San Francisco on Friday morning, slipping into a going-away party for some employees of The Pathway House.Larry Kamer told The Associated Press that his wife, Devereaux Smith, called him to say that the gunman had entered the room quietly, letting some people leave while taking others hostage.Golick called her husband, Mark, to say that she had been taken hostage by the former soldier, her father-in-law said.Mark Golick didn’t hear from her again, Malick said.A Napa Valley sheriff’s deputy exchanged gunshots with the hostage-taker at about 10:30 a.m. but after that nothing was heard from Wong or his hostages despite daylong efforts to contact him, authorities said.Army veteran and resident Bob Sloan, 73, was working at the home’s TV station when a co-worker came in and said he had heard four gunshots coming from The Pathway Home. Sloan sent alerts for residents to stay put.A group of about 80 students who were on the home’s grounds were safely evacuated after being locked down, Napa County Sheriff John Robertson said. The teens from Justin-Siena High School were at a theater rehearsing a play.“They were a distance away from the shooting situation,” Robertson said.The bodies of Wong and the women were found at about 6 p.m. While authorities had the building under siege for about eight hours they didn’t enter it.Wong’s rental car was later found nearby. A bomb-sniffing dog alerted authorities to something on the car but the only thing found was a cellphone, authorities said.Yvette Bennett, a wound-care supply worker who supplies the veterans center, was turned back when she tried to deliver what she called urgently needed medical supplies for two patients inside.Of all the medical institutions she has worked with, “this is the most placid, calm, serene place,” she said.Earlier this week, when she last visited, she asked a doctor, “What’s your magic here?”“And then 48 hours later this happens,” Bennett said.

Lisa Bonet says Bill Cosby gave off a 'sinister' energy-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-March 10, 2018

NEW YORK — Lisa Bonet has broken her silence about her former TV father Bill Cosby, saying she isn't surprised he's facing sexual misconduct allegations and claiming he gave off a "sinister" energy.Bonet says in an interview with Net-a-Porter's Porter magazine that she wasn't aware of any inappropriate behaviour by Cosby on "The Cosby Show" and "A Different World," though she sensed "darkness.""There was just energy. And that type of sinister, shadow energy cannot be concealed," she says.Cosby faces a retrial on charges he drugged and molested a woman in 2004. Prosecutors describe him as a serial predator.Bonet and Cosby clashed over her starring in the R-rated "Angel Heart." Asked about Cosby's current situation, she says she "just leave(s) all that to karma and justice."The Associated Press.

Sunshine State: Florida seeks all-year daylight saving time-[The Canadian -YAHOONEWS-March 10, 2018

PLANTATION, Fla. — Most of the nation springs forward on Sunday, moving clocks up one hour to observe daylight saving time. If Sunshine State legislators get their way, Floridians won't be falling back.By overwhelming, bipartisan majorities, the normally fractious Senate and House agreed this week to make Florida the first in the nation to adopt year-round daylight saving time statewide. It would mean later sunrises and sunsets from November to March, peak tourist season for many beach cities.For almost half the school year, it would also mean thousands more children would go to school in the dark. The Florida PTA said Friday that the change would endanger students, and is asking Gov. Rick Scott to veto the bill.If Scott does sign it, the change would still need congressional approval, which means it likely wouldn't happen until 2019 at the earliest, if ever.Sen. Greg Steube, the lead sponsor, said Floridians are tired of going "back and forth" and changing their clocks, internal and external, twice a year. The Sarasota Republican also says the "Sunshine Protection Act " could boost the economy as winter sunsets would be about 6:30 p.m., not 5:30. That might create more post-work shopping and tourists might stay later at theme parks and beaches."It just seems silly to me that as a country we are bumping back and forth because the reason is completely irrelevant," said Steube, who recently announced he will run for Congress. He promised to sponsor federal legislation carrying out the change if elected. Florida U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio said Friday he would introduce a bill next week allowing the change.But adopting year-round daylight time would mean some downsides for Florida too.From early November until early March, when it's noon in Eastern cities like Atlanta, Washington, New York, Boston and Moose River, Maine, it would be 1 p.m. in most of Florida, possibly causing confusion. The Panhandle is on Central time, so during the winter Pensacola and its neighbours would be on Eastern time.Also, from December into February, the sun wouldn't rise until about 8 a.m. in Miami, 8:20 in Tampa and Jacksonville and 8:30 in Tallahassee and only a bit earlier in late November and early March. And if that forces schools to start later, more parents would have to rush to reach work on time.Andrea Messina, executive director of the Florida School Boards Association, said the group hasn't taken an official position but is concerned about the bill's effect on students and expects it would lead to districts reconsidering start times.Insurance broker Jack Auran called the proposed change "sweet.""I play basketball after work. More light means we can play and I don't have to leave the office early," Auran said.Barry University student Kameron Milan said he lived in Arizona, which has year-round standard time, which he liked, but "it doesn't make that much of a difference, it's so minor.""It is kinda nice when you get that extra hour of sleep when the time falls back, but you pay for it in the spring," Milan said.Nationwide daylight saving time began 100 years ago during World War I. During the long days of summer, the sun rose in some Northern regions between 4 and 5 a.m., when most non-farmers were asleep. Sunset happened before 8 p.m. and people turned on lights. By moving the clocks ahead an hour, backers believed the country could divert a bit of coal-fired electricity to the military instead of using it for an hour of home power. It was again adopted in World War II.After each war, Congress rescinded the national laws but many people liked the extra hour of sunshine at the end of summer days, so some states and even cities observed daylight time while others kept standard time year-round. That meant driving relatively short distances could result in a time change or three.By 1966, airlines and other clock-watching businesses tired of such quirks and pushed Congress to pass the Uniform Time Act. It codified daylight saving time, although it has been periodically modified, particularly the start and end dates. The only states not observing daylight time are Hawaii and Arizona except for the latter's Navajo reservations, which do.Florida is not the first state to consider quitting the time-change game — but sometimes the search for money and God intervenes.Lawmakers in the New England states last year considered jointly adopting year-round daylight time but critics said putting Boston and New York City in different time zones would play havoc with financial markets. That got the idea shelved until the unlikely event New York hops onboard.Texas came close to adopting year-round standard time, but some lawmakers realized Dallas Cowboys road games against their New York, Philadelphia and Washington rivals would then sometimes begin at 11 Sunday mornings. Not wanting to force Texans to choose between church and football, two pillars of Lone Star culture, the Legislature punted.__Fineout reported from Tallahassee, Florida.___Follow Terry Spencer on Twitter at https://twitter.com/terryspen-Terry Spencer And Gary Fineout, The Associated Press.