Showing posts with label OTTAWA STATE OF EMERGENCY. Show all posts
Showing posts with label OTTAWA STATE OF EMERGENCY. Show all posts

Sunday, February 06, 2022

WATSON OTTAWAS MAYOR IS GETTING MARTIAL LAW STATE OF EMERGENCY AFTER THE PEACEFUL TRUCKS

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)

https://www.rebelnews.com/five_medical_doctors_speak_out_and_question_the_science_behind_our_governments_covid_19_narrative
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egbXE18omy0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZB36C5BGsk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXObFRXNjNM

Memphis Black Lives Matter Founder Sentenced to Six Years in Prison in Voter Fraud Case-By Cristina Laila-Published February 6, 2022 at 12:09pm

Memphis Black Lives Matter founder Pamela Moses was sentenced to six years and one day in prison for illegally registering to vote.In 2019 Pamela Moses was convicted of illegally registering to vote.Moses, 44, illegally registered to vote despite being on probation for felony convictions in 2015.“You tricked the probation department into giving you documents saying you were off probation,” Ward said in court,” WaPo reported.Fox 13 Memphis reported: Local Black Lives Matter activist Pamela Moses was sentenced to six years and one day in prison following her November 2021 conviction, Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich announced Monday. Moses founded Black Lives Matter Memphis and was a candidate for Mayor of Memphis, but lost the general election on October 3, 2019.She was convicted in November of illegally registering to vote in 2019. According to the D.A.’s office, Moses, 44, has 16 prior criminal convictions and committed the voting offense while on probation. Criminal Court Judge W. Mark Ward said that if she completes programs in prison and maintains good behavior, he would consider placing her on probation after nine months.On April 29, 2015, she pled guilty to tampering with evidence and forgery, both felonies, and misdemeanor counts of perjury, stalking, theft under $500 and escape. Moses was placed on probation for seven years.Public records also show Moses was detained by police in 2016 and charged with inciting to riot. Those charges were dropped.

WELL LIBBY DIBBY MAYOR OF OTTAWA JIMMY BOY WATSON  JUST DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN OTTAWA ON THE PEACEFUL TRUCKERS. HE WILL PROBABLY BRING THE MILITARY IN TO GET RID OF THE TRUCKERS WITH MARTIAL LAW.

Canadian Government Proudly Admits to Requesting GoFundMe to Withhold Trucker Convoy Donations – Begs Other Crowdfunding Sites to Follow Suit-By Julian Conradson-Published February 6, 2022 at 12:00am

On Friday, GoFundMe removed the $10 million Canadian Trucker Freedom Convoy 2022 fundraiser.-Hours after the digital highway robbery, the Ottawa Police Department (OPD) tweeted out a statement that thanked the crowdfunding platform for caving to the city’s demands to withhold funding from the protesters.The OPD statement also called on other platforms to follow suit, while labeling the grassroots movement against Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s authoritarianism an “unlawful demonstration.” “We want to thank GoFundMe for listening to our concerns as a City and a police service. The decision to withhold funding for these unlawful demonstrations is an important step and we call on all crowdfunding sites to follow.” We want to thank @gofundme for listening to our concerns as a City and a police service. The decision to withhold funding for these unlawful demonstrations is an important step and we call on all crowdfunding sites to follow. — Ottawa Police (@OttawaPolice) February 5, 2022-Like a true fascist, Ottawa’s Mayor Jim Watson also praised GoFundMe for their decision to defraud donors and steal the money away from the truckers.Just like the OPD, Watson also called the demonstrators “unlawful” and asked all other crowdfunding platforms to choke off funding to the protest, because, he “hopes,” they will not be able to stay in the city without outside “funding and resources.” “I want to sincerely thank the team at GoFundMe for listening to the plea made by the City and the Ottawa Police to no longer provide funds to the convoy organizers” NEW: I want to sincerely thank the team at @gofundme for listening to the plea made by the City and the Ottawa Police to no longer provide funds to the convoy organizers. 1/3 — Jim Watson (@JimWatsonOttawa) February 4, 2022“In light of the unlawful behaviour that has transpired in the last few days, they have come to the right decision in support of our city and our residents. These protesters have been holding our city hostage for a week now, and i’m hopeful that limiting their access to funding and resources will restrict their ability to remain in Ottawa. I am imploring similar crowdfunding platforms to take the same position and not enable the group in it’s fundraising efforts, which would deal a blow to our efforts to put an end to this occupation.” funding and resources will restrict their ability to remain in Ottawa. I am imploring similar crowdfunding platforms to take the same position and not enable the group in its fundraising efforts, which would deal a blow to our efforts to put an end to this occupation. 3/3 — Jim Watson (@JimWatsonOttawa) February 4, 2022-The open admission of government interference immediately followed GoFundMe’s removal of the convoy’s fundraiser for a bogus, and unexplained, terms of service violation.As we have seen on other platforms like Twitter, an arbitrary terms of service violation is the standard excuse to purge political dissidents. GoFundMe does not take the same stance when it comes to actual violent extremist groups like BLM, which is able to raise money ad infinitum with absolutely no repercussions for their destructive actions.Thankfully, conservatives and freedom-loving individuals still have GiveSendGo. The Canadian Trucker Convoy has since restarted its fundraiser on the Christian crowdfunding alternative, raising a whopping $1,000,000+ in less than a day.If you would like to donate to the convoy and be assured they will actually receive the funds, the new campaign on GiveSendGo can be found here.Good riddance, GoFundMe.HONK HONK! God bless and Godspeed, truckers!

Alternative Fundraiser for Freedom Convoy Claims ‘DDoS & Bot’ Attacks-by RT-February 6th 2022, 9:37 am

Christian fundraising website GiveSendGo has blamed “heavy DDoS and bot attacks” for server downtime after starting to raise cash for the Canadian trucker convoy on Friday. The platform began raising funds for the truckers protesting against Covid-19 vaccine passports and mandates on Friday after its better-known competitor GoFundMe froze the Freedom Convoy’s account with $7 million in donations.Popular alternative video platform Rumble has offered technical help to GiveSendGo. “We are hearing, but have not validated, that GiveSendGo is experiencing server issues and a possible denial of service attack,” Rumble said in a tweet. “If true, Rumble would be happy to help in anyway we can. We have equipment and engineers on standby, please feel free to reach out.” We are hearing, but have not validated, that @GiveSendGo is experiencing server issues and a possible denial of service attack. If true, Rumble would be happy to help in anyway we can. We have equipment and engineers on standby, please feel free to reach out.  — Rumble (@rumblevideo) February 5, 2022-The site, which has been offline intermittently since re-launching the campaign on Friday, nevertheless boasted it was able to raise funds for the convoy five times faster than GoFundMe, citing $1.1 million raised in “just over 12 hours” in a tweet posted on Saturday morning. We have been under heavy DDOS and bot attacks. In spite of all of this we still have managed to raise funds 5X faster than the gfm did. GFM raised 10mil in 3 weeks. GSG campaign has already raised over 1.1mil in just over 12 hours!— GiveSendGo (@GiveSendGo) February 5, 2022-The Freedom Convoy 2022 campaign on GiveSendGo has set $16 million as its fundraising goal. In a video posted on the campaign page, organizer Tamara Lich pledged that the convoy was planning to “be here for the long haul, as long as it takes to make sure your rights and freedoms are restored.”The money has continued to flow in despite connectivity issues, with over $1.35 million raised as of Saturday afternoon. According to the campaign page, donations will go to the cost of fuel first, and then to food and lodging. A crew of volunteers has been carrying jerry-cans of fuel to the truckers, who must heat their trucks even when the convoy isn’t moving, and some temporary shelters have been built to store fuel, food and water along the roads.GoFundMe shut down the convoy’s campaign on Friday after releasing just $1 million of over $8 million raised for the cause. While it had initially threatened to donate the massive sum to charities it considers to be “credible and established,” the company later opted to automatically refund donations after it was threatened with a fraud investigation by the state of Florida.

Send In the Cavalry! Hundreds of Cowboys on Horseback Join Freedom Convoy Protesters at Coutts Crossing in Alberta-By Jim Hoft-Published February 5, 2022 at 8:24pm

Several horseback protesters joined the Freedom Convoy 2022 protesters at Coutts Crossing in Alberta, Canada on Saturday.Time to Cowboy Up– Kids, teenagers, young people, young families, horses and hockey today in Coutts. The Cowboys & Cowgirls were giving the little kids horseback rides. Many people parked behind the RCMP check points and walked a mile in. Not much visible RCMP presence today although they are here pic.twitter.com/QMQnvV3zlW — HONK HONK FRINGE Ut In Periculum = WE ARE IN PERIL (@UPericulum) February 5, 2022-Kids, teenagers, young people, young families, horses and hockey today in Coutts. The Cowboys & Cowgirls were giving the little kids horseback rides. Many people parked behind the RCMP check points and walked a mile in. Not much visible RCMP presence today although they are here pic.twitter.com/QMQnvV3zlW — HONK HONK FRINGE Ut In Periculum = WE ARE IN PERIL (@UPericulum) February 5, 2022-HUNDREDS of Cowboys on Horseback turned out today… The cowboys (and gals) are coming! via Brant Hansen with Payden Mendenhall near #Coutts today😍🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/O1WjeguK— 🦋 (@SandruhAnn) February 5, 2022

Burner Phones, Clandestine Meetings, and Difficult Secrets: Dr. Malone Calls Out How Dr. Fauci and Other Public Health ‘Experts’ Covered Up Crucial Covid Information in the Beginning of the Pandemic –By Julian Conradson-Published February 6, 2022 at 8:15am

During a recent appearance on the Candace Owens Show, Dr. Robert Malone discussed how public health ‘experts’ such as Dr. Francis Collins and Dr. Tony Fauci had worked in secret to hide critical information about Covid-19 at the beginning of the pandemic, including evidence that the virus originated out of the Chinese Communist Party-controlled Wuhan lab.As part of the criminal cover-up that will likely go down as one of the most horrific atrocities ever perpetrated on mankind, Fauci and his associates allegedly used “burner phones,” held “clandestine meetings, and kept “difficult secrets,” in order to hide their actions from the public.Dr. Malone cited a book that was published in July 2021 by Jeremy Farrar, a former Oxford professor who is widely regarded as the UK’s equivalent to Dr. Fauci, as evidence to back up his claims. Farrar worked closely with Dr. Fauci and other public health experts from the US and around the world throughout the beginning of the Covid pandemic. He is also the head of the Wellcome Trust – which is an extremely influential non-government funder of medical research in the UK that is heavily involved in funding vaccine manufacturers.Dr. Malone explained:“In the book, published by this equivalent to Tony Fauci, [Farrar Claims] that Tony, Francis Collins and Jeremy Farrar all got burner phones, and were busy talking to each other about something right after this [release of the Covid-19 virus] – totally obsessed about this [lab-leak], more than about how to manage the response – they appear to have been using burner phones to cover their tracks so it couldn’t be traced about how they were going to cover their tracks!”Candace Owens then follows up by pointing out how Dr. Fauci’s emails that were released by the House GOP oversight committee correspond with the claims made by Farrar. “And Anthony Fauci’s emails, which were revealed, showed that someone told him [about the lab leak] very early on. [The emails] said this [Covid-19] is not a regular sequence that we see, this [virus] has obviously been manufactured – and yet what he [Dr. Fauci] was saying to everybody else was ‘oh this [natural origin of the virus] is just what happened.’ That says to me this was an inside job. I can not think of it [in] a different way because of the reaction and the cover-up mechanisms that were used.” “And then there [are] apparently contracts that were issued in 2019 for the development of the [Covid-19] vaccines [even before the virus was widely known to the world],” Malone adds.In Farrer’s book, titled ‘Spike: The Virus Vs. The People – the Inside Story,’ he details some of the nefarious tactics that he used in tandem with Fauci and other ‘experts’ to bury crucial information. Apparently, their actions made him so “scared” and “uncomfortable” that he could not remain silent any longer.An excerpt from his book – compiled by RedVoiceMedia – reads:“By the second week of January, I was beginning to realize the scale of what was happening.I was also getting the uncomfortable feeling that some of the information needed by scientists all around the world to detect and fight this new disease was not being disclosed as fast as it could be. I did not know it then, but a fraught few weeks lay ahead. In those weeks, I became exhausted and scared.I felt as if I was living a different person’s life.During that period, I would do things I had never done before: acquire a burner phone, hold clandestine meetings, keep difficult secrets.I would have surreal conversations with my wife, Christiane, who persuaded me we should let the people closest to us know what was going on. I phoned my brother and best friend to give them my temporary number. In hushed conversations, I sketched out the possibility of a looming global health crisis that had the potential to be read as bioterrorism. ‘If anything happens to me in the next few weeks,’ I told them nervously, ‘this is what you need to know.’”Farrar continued one chapter later, exposing the fact that several “credible scientists” in the US were sounding the alarm about the virus leaking from the Wuhan lab as early as January 2020, which Dr. Fauci and Dr. Collins were aware of, but did nothing other than discredit the entire notion of Covid-19 being a ‘lab-created virus’ as a wild conspiracy from the beginning. “In the last week of January 2020, I saw email chatter from scientists in the US suggesting the virus looked almost engineered to infect human cells. These were credible scientists proposing an incredible, and terrifying, possibility of either an accidental leak from a laboratory or a deliberate release. The next day I gathered everyone’s thoughts, including people like Michael Farzan, and emailed Tony and Francis: “On a spectrum, if 0 is nature and 100 is release – I am honestly at 50! My guess is that this will remain grey unless there is access to the Wuhan lab – and I suspect that is unlikely!” The revelations that were published in Farrar’s book had gone widely unnoticed by the public until Dr. Malone called them out directly in his recent interview. Aside from The Epoch Times, which ran a piece that detailed Farrar’s shocking claims, no one else in the US media had covered the story until Dr. Malone raised the issue with Candace Owens, and even still the coverage has been nearly non-existent.Farrar’s book, Spike: The Virus Vs. The People – the Inside Story, can be found here.As the days go by, more and more evidence continues to mount against Fauci and other rogue public health officials that have worked tirelessly to cover up their involvement in the release of the virus that shut down the entire world and has been used as the vehicle to destroy freedom across the world.This has never been about saving lives. It’s way past time for these criminals to be held accountable. People of the world are awaiting the Nuremberg 2.0 trials.

International Day of Human Fraternity-4 February

Human fraternity for peace and cooperation-There is deep concern regarding acts that advocate religious hatred and, thereby, undermine the spirit of tolerance and respect for diversity, especially at a time when the  world  confronts  the unprecedented  crisis  caused  by  the  Coronavirus  disease (COVID-19) pandemic, which requires a global response based on unity, solidarity and renewed multilateral cooperation.And in these times we need — perhaps more than ever before — to recognize the valuable contribution of people of all religions, or beliefs, to humanity and the contribution that dialogue among all religious groups can make towards an improved awareness and understanding of the common values shared by all humankind.We also need to underline the importance of raising awareness about different cultures and religions, or beliefs, and the promotion of tolerance, which involves societal acceptance and respect for religious and cultural diversity, including with regard to religious expression. Education, in particular at school, should contribute in a meaningful way to promoting tolerance and the elimination of discrimination based on religion or belief.Furthermore, we must acknowledge that  tolerance,  pluralistic  tradition,  mutual  respect  and  the diversity of religions and beliefs promote human fraternity. Thus, it is imperative that we encourage activities  aimed  at  promoting  interreligious  and  intercultural dialogue in  order to  enhance peace  and social  stability,  respect for  diversity and mutual respect and to create, at the global level, and also at the regional, national and local levels, an environment conducive to peace and mutual understanding.Within that frame, the General-Assembly took note of  all  international,  regional,  national  and  local  initiatives,  as appropriate,  as  well as  efforts  by religious leaders, to promote interreligious and intercultural dialogue, and in this regard took note also of the meeting between Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmad al-Tayyib, on 4 February 2019 in Abu Dhabi, which resulted in the signing of the document entitled “Human fraternity for world peace and living together”.

2021 Theme: A Pathway to the Future

This year, for the very first time, we are celebrating the International Day of Human Fraternity in the context of World Interfaith Harmony Week, providing an opportunity to highlight the principles and values included in the “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and living Together” and explore good practices towards its implementation as a pathway to the future, as we rebuild a better world. The UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), in partnership with the Permanent Missions of Egypt and the United Arab Emirates to the UN, as well as the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity, is organizing an event titled "A Pathway to the Future" to celebrate this international day.Following the devastation of the Second World War, the United Nations was established to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war. One of its purposes is to achieve international cooperation in solving international problems, including by promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion.In 1999, The General-Assembly adopted, by resolution 53/243, the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace, which serves as the universal mandate for the international community, particularly the United Nations system, to promote a culture of peace and non-violence that benefits all of humanity, including future generations.The declaration came about as a result of the long-held and cherished concept — contained within the Constitution of UNESCO — that "since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed." The Declaration embraces the principle that peace is not merely the absence of conflict, but also requires a positive, dynamic participatory process, in which dialogue is encouraged and conflicts are resolved in a spirit of mutual understanding and cooperation.On 20 October 2010, the General Assembly in resolution A/RES/65/5 pointed out that mutual understanding and interreligious dialogue constitute important dimensions of a culture of peace and established World Interfaith Harmony Week as a way to promote harmony between all people regardless of their faith. It further recognized the imperative need for dialogue among different faiths and religions to enhance mutual understanding, harmony and cooperation among people.At the core of all the faith systems and traditions is the recognition that we are all in this together and that we need to love and support one another to live in harmony and peace in an environmentally sustainable world. Our world continues to be beset by conflict and intolerance with rising number of refugees and the internally displaced in a hostile and unwelcoming world around them. We are also, unfortunately, witnessing messages of hate spreading discord among people. The need for spiritual guidance has never been greater. It is imperative that we double our efforts to spread the message of good neighborliness based on our common humanity, a message shared by all faith traditions.The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 4 February as the International Day of Human Fraternity, with resolution 75/200.

PM: A nuclear deal with Iran won’t increase stability — or prevent Israeli strike-Bennett’s comments come as the Vienna talks aimed at salvaging the moribund 2015 accord enter a critical phase-By TOI staff and AP-feb 6,22-Today, 5:46 pm

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett implied Sunday that Israel could launch a military strike against Iran even if the Islamic Republic and world powers revive their 2015 nuclear deal.“The greatest threat against the State of Israel is Iran,” Bennett said during the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem. “As the government, we are responsible for dealing with the Iranian nuclear program and, of course, we are monitoring the Vienna talks.“Our position is well-known and clear: An agreement – according to the apparent terms – will damage the ability to deal with the nuclear program. Anyone who thinks that an agreement will increase stability is mistaken,” he added, according to a readout from his office. “It will temporarily delay enrichment but all of us in the region will pay a heavy, disproportionate price for it.”Bennett accused Iran of ramping up its belligerence in recent weeks — seemingly alluding to a string of regional attacks by Tehran-aligned Yemeni rebels — despite its ongoing negotiations on returning to he nuclear deal.“That is how you conduct negotiations, Tehran-style,” the premier declared.“We are currently closing gaps and building up Israel’s military strength for years and even decades to come. Israel will maintain freedom of action in any case, with or without an agreement,” he added.Bennett’s comments come as the Vienna talks aimed at salvaging the languishing 2015 nuclear deal enter a critical phase.On Friday, as US negotiators headed back to Vienna for what could be a make-or-break session, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed several sanctions waivers related to Iran’s civilian nuclear activities. The move reversed a previous decision by the Trump administration to rescind them.The waivers are intended to entice Iran to return to compliance with the 2015 deal that it has been violating since former president Donald Trump withdrew from the agreement in 2018 and re-imposed US sanctions. Iran says it is not respecting the terms of the deal because the US pulled out of it first. Iran has demanded the restoration of all sanctions relief it was promised under the deal to return to compliance.Friday’s move lifts the sanctions threat against foreign countries and companies from Russia, China and Europe that had been cooperating with non-military parts of Iran’s nuclear program under the terms of the 2015 deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA.The Trump administration had ended the so-called “civ-nuke” waivers in May 2020 as part of its “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran that began when Trump withdrew the US from the deal in 2018. The former US leader complained that it was the worst diplomatic agreement ever negotiated and that it gave Iran a pathway to developing the bomb.As a presidential candidate, Joe Biden made a US return to the nuclear deal a priority, and his administration has pursued that goal, but there has been little progress toward that end since he took office a year ago. Administration officials said the waivers were being restored to help push the Vienna negotiations forward.“The waiver with respect to these activities is designed to facilitate discussions that would help to close a deal on a mutual return to full implementation of the JCPOA and lay the groundwork for Iran’s return to performance of its JCPOA commitments,” the State Department said in a notice to Congress that announced the move.“It is also designed to serve US nonproliferation and nuclear safety interests and constrain Iran’s nuclear activities,” the department said. “It is being issued as a matter of policy discretion with these objectives in mind, and not pursuant to a commitment or as part of a quid pro quo. We are focused on working with partners and allies to counter the full range of threats that Iran poses.”World powers have been warning Iran that time is running out to restore the accord, as it continues to develop its nuclear program.And while the Biden administration has been pushing for a diplomatic solution to the Iranian issue, Israel has insisted time and time again that “words do not stop centrifuges from spinning” and that Israel “will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon,” as stated by Bennett during his first address to the United Nations General Assembly last September.The Israel Air Force has conducted a drill simulating a massive attack on Iran’s nuclear program, which employed dozens of fighter jets, public broadcaster Kan reported.The exercise, held some two weeks ago, was attended by a US Air Force officer who participated as an observer, signaling that the US might be exploring alternative courses of action in case talks in Vienna fail.The drill reportedly included various scenarios, including mid-air refueling, long-range strikes and responses to anti-aircraft missiles.

African Union suspends debate on Israel’s observer member status-Palestinian Authority had urged union to withdraw Jewish state’s accreditation; diplomats say committee will be established to ‘study the issue’ By AFP and Lazar Berman-feb 6,22-Today, 5:51 pm

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — The African Union suspended a debate Sunday on whether to withdraw Israel’s accreditation, avoiding a vote that risked creating an unprecedented rift in the 55-member bloc.“The Israel question has been suspended for now and instead there will be a committee set up to study the issue,” a diplomat told AFP on the closing day of the AU’s annual summit in Addis Ababa.The committee will present its findings at next year’s AU summit.“Israel’s acceptance as an observer in the African Union is a clear interest for us all – for Israel, for the African Union, and for the Union’s members,” the Israeli Foreign Ministry in a statement. “It will facilitate increased cooperation between Israel and African countries. Israel attaches great importance to expanding the dialogue and cooperation with the African Union in line with changes in the Middle East, and views it as an important expression of our shared activities for the continent’s next generation.”The relationship with Israel is a rare point of contention for a body that values consensus, with powerful member states, notably South Africa, loudly protesting a decision last July by Moussa Faki Mahamat, chair of the African Union Commission, to accept Israel’s accreditation to the bloc.The six-member committee will include South Africa and Algeria, who opposed Faki’s move to accredit Israel, as well as Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who supported it, according to the diplomats.Cameroon also asked to be on the committee, while South Africa requested the inclusion of Nigeria as well, the diplomats said.As the summit opened Saturday, Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh urged African leaders to withdraw Israel’s AU accreditation, denouncing its “apartheid regime.”Member nations such as South Africa said they had not been properly consulted about the decision, which they said contradicted numerous AU statements -– including from Faki himself – supporting the Palestinian Territories.The accreditation handed Israeli diplomats a victory they had been chasing for nearly two decades.Israel was previously accredited at the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), but lost that status when the body was disbanded and replaced by the AU in 2002.Seventy-two countries, regional blocs and organizations are already accredited, including North Korea, the European Union and UNAIDS, according to the AU’s website.Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.

Cabinet approves NIS 155 million plan to prepare for massive wildfires-Announcement comes six months after blaze in Jerusalem hills; Bennett says: ‘We’re not waiting for the next disaster’ By Sue Surkes-feb 6,22-Today, 5:38 pm

The government on Sunday approved a NIS 155 million ($48 million) national plan to prepare for massive wildfires, as part of a broader strategy for coping with the effects of climate change.Put together by the Prime Minister’s Office, the Public Security Ministry and the Environmental Protection Ministry, the plan provides for the creation of firebreaks to distance homes from adjacent woodlands and forests and to stop fires from spreading.It also includes better coordination with the fire service’s airborne division and a multi-year plan to strengthen the fire service in general.“The whole world is warming because of climate change, and fires pose a real danger to life,” Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said. “The national plan we have formulated will add firebreaks in places where there are a lot of trees and where it’s easy for fires to spread, to prevent harm to life and property.”An inter-ministerial team is to be set up to determine how best to protect residential and other facilities, and ensure access for fire engines and availability of water sources.The air force will be made available to provide backup in airborne fire fighting, in line with a program to be developed by the defense and public security ministries.The project will be funded from the budgets of the finance, public security, environmental protection, interior, and agriculture ministries as well as the Israel Lands Authority.Last summer, some 25,000 dunams (6,200 acres) of forest around Jerusalem went up in flames in a massive fire.Several towns and villages were evacuated. At the height of the blaze, it was feared that Hadassah Medical Center at Ein Kerem might need to be evacuated.At the Eitanim psychiatric hospital, 156 patients and staff assembled, ready to evacuate as the fire came close, only to realize that the sole access road was impassable. Police and fire service officers led a rescue mission through the flames.It took three days and the efforts of 204 firefighting crews, 20 planes, IDF rescue teams, and help from Palestinian firefighters to fully extinguish the blaze. People lost homes. Luckily, none lost their lives.In 2010, a catastrophic blaze on Mount Carmel trapped a bus full of Prisons Service officers, most of them new recruits, who were on their way to evacuate Damon Prison before the flames got there. Their vehicle was engulfed by fire and 44 people were killed.

Amid US warnings, Ukraine says diplomatic solution more likely than Russian attack-Zelensky aide says massive Russian troop activity along border merely aimed at creating ‘psychological pressure’ and comes as no surprise to Kyiv-By AFP-feb 6,22-Today, 5:38 pm

KIEV — Ukraine’s presidency on Sunday insisted the chance of resolving soaring tensions with Russia through diplomacy remained greater than that of an attack, as the US warned Moscow was stepping up preparations for an invasion.“An honest assessment of the situation suggests that the chance of finding a diplomatic solution for de-escalation is still substantially higher than the threat of further escalation,” said presidency advisor Mykhailo Podolyak in a statement.Podolyak said that Russia had been conducting large-scale troop rotations, maneuvers and weapon deployments on a regular basis “to ensure constant massive psychological pressure” since massing forces at Ukraine’s border last spring.“For our intelligence service and our armed forces, this Russian activity comes as absolutely no surprise,” he said.Podolyak pointed out that Ukraine’s Western backers received “a significant amount” of their intelligence about Russian activities from Kyiv.“How long will such Russian activity last and for what purpose is it maintained? Only the Kremlin can know the exact answer to this question,” he said.“The task of both Ukraine and our partners is to be prepared for any scenario, and we are fulfilling this task 100 percent.”The statement came after Washington said its intelligence assessments showed Moscow was stepping up moves towards a potential full-scale invasion, and has in place 70 percent of the forces it would need for such an attack.Russia has assembled 110,000 troops along its border with Ukraine but US intelligence had not determined if President Vladimir Putin has actually decided to invade, US officials said.The US officials warned that the assembled Russian force on the frontier with Ukraine is growing at a rate that would give Putin the force he needs for a full-scale invasion — some 150,000 soldiers — by mid-February.The US officials said Putin wants to have all possible options at his disposal: from a limited invasion of the pro-Russian Donbas region of Ukraine to a full-scale, all-out invasion.They estimated a major attack would leave 25,000 to 50,000 civilians dead, along with 5,000 to 25,000 Ukrainian soldiers and 3,000 to 10,000 Russian troops.Russia denies that it is planning to invade Ukraine.Kyiv has consistently sought to play down fears of an imminent Russian incursion as it seeks to prevent harm to its economy, with President Volodymyr Zelensky urging Western allies not to stir “panic.”

IMF says Israel managed pandemic ‘exceptionally well,’ warns of ‘significant’ risks-In report, financial institution notes rapid vaccination campaign, quick measures taken by government and central bank, but says challenges persist-By Ricky Ben-David    Today,FEB 6,22-4:31 pm

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Israel has weathered the COVID-19 pandemic “exceptionally well” with a swift, efficient vaccination campaign and a rapidly recovering economy, but still faced “significant” risks to its 2022 outlook such as soaring housing prices and affordability.In a report published Sunday, the 190-country lending agency said Israel’s “world-leading vaccination campaign boosted confidence and helped mitigate the impact of the pandemic in the face of new, virulent variants,” while the government embarked on “prompt and ample” support for households and businesses and the Bank of Israel’s “monetary and prudential measures provided liquidity, kept credit flowing, and prevented undue tightening of financial conditions.”The IMF reported that after a relatively mild downturn in 2020, Israel’s economy recovered strongly in 2021 with real GDP exceeding its pre-pandemic level and with growth at around 6.5 percent last year. “The rebound was stronger than in other advanced economies,” the financial institution reported, echoing separate reports in December 2021 by the OECD and by multinational business information company Dun & Bradstreet that showed Israel’s economic recovery beat the global average.The IMF, too, found that Israel’s thriving tech industry “led the recovery” as private consumption “gained speed.”Inflation, meanwhile, “surged due to global factors and a rebound in domestic demand” though it remained within the Bank of Israel’s target range. The central bank said last month that inflation was forecast at 2.4% in 2021 and expectations for 2022 in the medium and long terms were within an annual target of 1%-3%.“The 2021 fiscal deficit was significantly smaller than expected due to buoyant tax revenues on the back of fast-growing domestic and global equity markets and gradual tapering of COVID-related support,” the IMF said in its report. Unemployment has also declined steadily, it noted.In a briefing with Israeli journalists Sunday, IMF’s Mission Chief for Israel Iva Krasteva Petrova said the IMF expected “the recovery to firm up and continue in 2022” and that the organization sees “no long-term scarring effect from the pandemic.”The Israeli government’s support and the Bank of Israel’s policies were “timely, ample, and well-executed,” she said.The IMF report said Israel’s economic recovery was “projected to solidify in 2022” with growth “supported by strong private consumption, investment, and net exports,” and inflation set to ease in the medium term.At the same time, Israel will need to address long-standing challenges like overall labor force participation, where certain communities do not participate or do so in low numbers; low productivity (estimated by the OECD at 35% lower than the organization’s best performers) driven by the disparity between the tech sector and more traditional sectors; and a human capital shortage (specifically in the tech sector).The IMF said skills and knowledge gaps in the Israeli economy “could make labor reallocation across sectors challenging and costly and could affect unevenly the employment and wages of different demographic groups.” Policies should focus on “facilitating job creation and reallocation, removing product market barriers, and improving infrastructure.”Housing prices and affordability are also a significant concern in Israel, the report said. “The rapid rise in housing prices rekindled concerns of price misalignment, stressing the need to advance structural measures to ease housing supply,” it read.Krasteva Petrova said Israel has “exceptionally tight housing constraints” at a “high level that suggests misalignment.” She said addressing this issue should be a priority.Israel could undertake “tax reforms to support incentives for municipalities to increase housing provisions,” she indicated.The IMF report also said Israel’s efforts to reduce trade barriers would be “key to promote efficient allocation of resources, investment, and innovation,” and help boost competition and reduce costs.The country’s infrastructure also featured among the concerns and potential hindrances to growth.“Infrastructure spending needs to accelerate further if Israel is to close the infrastructure stock gap relative to other OECD countries. Infrastructure improvements are particularly pressing in transportation to ease traffic congestion and improve job accessibility,” the IMF said.The IMF welcomed Israel’s strengthened commitments to address climate change and the “significant progress” it has made “in developing policies to achieve their targets, including a gradual phase-in of excises on coal and other fuels between 2023–28 and a phase-out of coal energy production by 2025.”Krasteva Petrova said, Israel’s “climate mitigation policies are welcome” and its “goals are ambitious.”“Further efforts will be needed,” the IMF said. “Options include larger increases in carbon prices and providing greater regulatory and fiscal support for Israel’s innovative green technologies.”Israel’s management of some risks and longstanding challenges “would help secure the recovery,” the financial institution said. These risks include new variants that could present a threat to economic growth, existing geopolitical issues that “might potentially cause socioeconomic and political disruption,” and a tightening of global financial conditions that “could lead to a stock market fall, lower government revenues, and a rise in the cost of capital.”In the coming year, according to the report, pandemic-related support “should target the most affected sectors and vulnerable population groups,” after which medium-term fiscal policy should refocus “on reducing public debt and rebuilding pre-pandemic buffers.”Israel’s tax system could also be made more progressive and the tax base could be broadened, including by reducing pension tax exemptions and personal and corporate tax incentives for selected groups, the report read.Israel’s policies “should remain agile in the face of high growth and still significant uncertainty,” the IMF offered.Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman said in a statement that the IMF report was a show of appreciation toward “the management of prudent and responsible fiscal policy based solely on economic and professional considerations, and indicates the resilience and dynamism of the Israeli economy compared to other developed countries.”Bank of Israel Governor Professor Amir Yaron thanked the IMF for the “thorough and professional work in recent weeks.” He added that the central bank will study the final report in-depth.Last month, the IMF said it was downgrading its forecast for the world economy in 2022, citing the spread of COVID-19’s Omicron variant, higher energy prices, an uptick in inflation and a deteriorating outlook for the world’s two biggest economies — the United States and China.The financial institution now forecasts the global economy will expand 4.4% in 2022. That’s down from an estimated 5.9% last year and from the 4.9% the IMF was forecasting for 2022 back in October.

Report: New CNN Employee Chris Wallace Having Meltdown Over Zucker Resignation-By ProTrumpNews Staff-Published February 5, 2022 at 7:30pm

Back in December, Chris Wallace announced his decision to leave Fox News for CNN+.In his statement, he cited then-President Jeff Zucker as one of the reasons.He is now reportedly second-guessing the decision to join CNN+.A new report said that Chris Wallace is “irate” at the fact Jeff Zucker has now resigned.The report also outlined a feud between Wallace and CNN Host Jake Tapper.Radar Online reported: Chris Wallace is “irate” at the ousting of CNN president Jeff Zucker and his future at the news network is uncertain, Radar has been told. … In wake of the decision from WarnerMedia suits to oust Jeff Zucker, Wallace is said to be “second guessing his decision” even though he is believed to be earning $8 to $10 million per year.“He went over there for Zucker and now Zucker is gone. Wallace feels that he has been stiffed. He’s got no staff, no Executive Producer and the guy he gave up a prized gig for has just walked out the door.”Trump has repeatedly blasted Chris Wallace.-Did Chris Wallace choose the wrong side of history?

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