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)
Pilot in Texas balloon crash had drunk driving, drug convictions-[By Jon Herskovitz]-August 1, 2016-YAHOONEWS
AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - The pilot killed along with 15 other people in the crash of a hot air balloon in central Texas on Saturday had numerous convictions for drunk driving and at least one drug-related charge dating back to 1990, according to online records.The balloon, flown by Heart of Texas Hot Air Balloon Rides chief pilot and owner Alfred "Skip" Nichols, hit a power line, setting its basket on fire, and plummeted into a pasture near Lockhart, about 30 miles (50 km) south of the state capital Austin, killing all aboard.Authorities have not yet issued findings of their investigation into the cause of the crash.Online records in Missouri's St. Louis County show Nichols pleaded guilty to drunk driving charges at least three times between 1990 and 2010, as well as several other vehicular charges.In 2000, he also pleaded guilty to a drug-related charge and spent time in prison, according to criminal records.Following his 2010 conviction for drunk driving, Nichols was sentenced to seven years in prison and was released on parole in January 2012 after less than a year and a half.In a statement on its Facebook page, the company expressed its condolences to those killed in the crash."There are simply no words to express our profound sadness at this event that has taken away so many of our loved ones," it said in a Facebook post.The company said it has not been in contact with the relatives of those killed in the crash as it is being probed by U.S. investigators. It could not be reached for further comment.The names of the passengers killed have not been officially released but social media posts and local media reports indicate the victims included a couple celebrating their 23rd wedding anniversary with a balloon ride at sunrise.Aerial television footage showed flattened remnants of the red, white and blue balloon, adorned with a yellow smiley face wearing sunglasses.The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board two years ago recommended greater oversight of the hot air balloon industry, said Robert Sumwalt, who is heading the federal agency's investigation of the accident.It was the deadliest crash involving a hot air balloon in the Western Hemisphere, according to the Balloon Federation of North America.(Additional reporting by Joseph Ax in New York; Editing by Will Dunham and Sandra Maler)
WORLD POWERS IN THE LAST DAYS (END OF AGE OF GRACE NOT THE WORLD)
EUROPEAN UNION-KING OF WEST-DAN 9:26-27,DAN 7:23-24,DAN 11:40,REV 13:1-10
EGYPT-KING OF THE SOUTH-DAN 11:40
RUSSIA-KING OF THE NORTH-EZEK 38:1-2,EZEK 39:1-3
CHINA-KING OF THE EAST-DAN 11:44,REV 9:16,18
VATICAN-RELIGIOUS LEADER-REV 13:11-18,REV 17:4-5,9,18
WORLD TERRORISM
GENESIS 6:11-13
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.(WORLD TERRORISM,MURDERS)(HAMAS IN HEBREW IS VIOLENCE)
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence (TERRORISM)(HAMAS) through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
GENESIS 16:11-12
11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her,(HAGAR) Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael;(FATHER OF THE ARAB/MUSLIMS) because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
12 And he (ISHMAEL-FATHER OF THE ARAB-MUSLIMS) will be a wild (DONKEY-JACKASS) man;(ISLAM IS A FAKE AND DANGEROUS SEX FOR MURDER CULT) his hand will be against every man,(ISLAM HATES EVERYONE) and every man's hand against him;(PROTECTING THEMSELVES FROM BEING BEHEADED) and he (ISHMAEL ARAB/MUSLIM) shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.(LITERAL-THE ARABS LIVE WITH THEIR BRETHERN JEWS)
ISAIAH 14:12-14
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer,(SATAN) son of the morning!(HEBREW-CRECENT MOON-ISLAM) how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I (SATAN HAS EYE TROUBLES) will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.(AND 1/3RD OF THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN FELL WITH SATAN AND BECAME DEMONS)
JOHN 16:2
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.(ISLAM MURDERS IN THE NAME OF MOON GOD ALLAH OF ISLAM)
Bosnia clears path for EU membership-By EUOBSERVER-AUG 1,16
Today, 09:30-Bosnia's rival leaders have agreed to key conditions set by the EU for membership, amid pressure to get a much needed IMF loan. "We solved today a set of issues which open the way for the acceptance of Bosnia's application ... but also open the way towards the IMF arrangement," leader of the Muslim Bosniak SDA party and chairman of the country's three-man inter-ethnic presidency, Bakir Izetbegovic, said on Sunday.
US launches airstrikes targeting IS militants in Libya-[The Canadian Press]-August 1, 2016-YAHOONEWS
WASHINGTON — The United States launched multiple airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Libya on Monday, opening a new, more persistent front against the group at the request of the United Nations-backed government, Libyan and U.S. officials said.Fayez Serraj, the head of Libya's U.N.-brokered presidency council, said in a televised statement that American warplanes attacked the IS bastion of Sirte on the Mediterranean in northern Libya. No U.S. ground forces will be deployed, he said.The precision strikes, which targeted an Islamic State tank and vehicles, come amid growing concerns about the group's increased threat to Europe and its ability to inspire attacks across the region, even though its numbers have been shrinking because of attacks from local forces and allied international troops."The presidency council, as the general army commander, has made a request for direct U.S. support to carry out specific airstrikes," Serraj said. "The first strikes started today in positions in Sirte, causing major casualties."The strikes mark the start of a more intense American role in the fight against IS in Libya, as the U.S. steps in to assist the fragile, U.N.-backed government. They were the first strikes by the U.S. on the group in Libya since February, and they are expected to continue. But officials said they expect the air campaign will last weeks, not months.Obama's authorization for action in Sirte covers strikes, intelligence and surveillance, but not ground operations, according to a White House official, who wasn't authorized to speak publicly about the strikes and requested anonymity.Serraj said his government is joining the coalition against IS, adding, "This is the time for the international community to live up to its promises to the Libyan people."He also noted that the strikes will not go beyond Sirte and its surroundings. He said any other foreign intervention is not allowed without co-ordination .His warning comes after several French commandos were killed fighting Islamic State militants. U.S., French, British and Italian special operations forces and military experts have been assisting Libyan troops fighting IS militants in eastern and western Libya.Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said President Barack Obama authorized the strikes following a recommendation from Defence Secretary Ash Carter and Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.Cook told reporters that U.S. Africa Command will co-ordinate any strikes with the Libyans and that the new air campaign will last as long as the Libyans request assistance to eliminate IS from Sirte. The U.S. is also providing airborne surveillance and intelligence. And a small team of U.S. special operations forces is in an operations centre in Libya — outside of Sirte — to help co-ordinate the airstrikes, according to U.S. officials who were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly so spoke anonymously.Mohammed al-Ghasri, the commander of a pro-government militia known as al-Bonyan al-Marsous, said his forces gave target co-ordinates of Islamic State positions to the U.S.While there are no U.S. ground forces being used in connection with the latest strikes, Cook would not comment on whether other American special operations forces are currently in Libya. They have been routinely moving in and out of the country, meeting with Libyan groups.U.S. officials earlier this year estimated there were as many as 6,000 Islamic State insurgents in Libya, including some who have abandoned Syria. But in recent months, officials say, their numbers in Libya have dropped and the group is weakening there under pressure from local militias and the U.N.-brokered government.Two weeks ago, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Islamic State fighters in Libya are facing the "distinct possibility" of defeat in their last stronghold.And Dunford estimated in mid-July that there were only a few hundred militants still inside Sirte, which the group has used as a headquarters."I don't think there is any doubt that the Islamic State in Libya is weaker than it was some months ago," said Dunford, adding, "They've suffered significant casualties in and around the Benghazi area."In February, American F-15E fighter-bombers struck an Islamic State training camp in rural Libya near the Tunisian border, killing more than 40. And in November, a U.S. airstrike killed a top Islamic State leader in Libya.Libya slid into chaos after the ouster and killing of dictator Col. Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. The power and security vacuum left the country a breeding ground for militias and militants, including the Islamic State group and al-Qaida affiliates.Since 2014, Libya has been split between rival governments and parliaments based in the western and eastern regions, each backed by different militias and tribes. The U.N. brokered a deal in December, which tried to mend the rift by creating a presidency council and a unity government.Libya's pro-government militias — mainly from the western city of Misrata — have been waging an offensive against the Islamic State group in Sirte since May, but it has recently stalled.___Associated Press writers Maggie Michael in Cairo and Josh Lederman and Robert Burns in Washington contributed to this report.Lolita C. Baldor, The Associated Press
Kremlin: Russian personnel on board helicopter downed in Syria are dead-[Reuters]-August 1, 2016-YAHOONEWS
MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin on Monday said that Russian military personnel on board a helicopter shot down in Syria on Monday were dead, citing the Russian Defense Ministry.The helicopter, with five people on board, was shot down in Idlib Province, Russian news agencies quoted the Defense Ministry as saying.They died a "heroic death" on a humanitarian mission, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with reporters. He said the helicopter had tried to veer away from inhabited areas to avoid civilian deaths.Peskov also said that Moscow would continue fighting international terrorism "on all fronts" despite threats from Islamic State.On Sunday, Islamic State posted a nine-minute video message on YouTube, calling on its members to carry out jihad or holy war in Russia.(Reporting by Dmitry Solovyov; Editing by Andrew Osborn)
Russia must restrain itself, Assad from offensive Syria strikes: Kerry-[Reuters]-August 1, 2016-YAHOONEWS
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States called on Russia and the Syrian government on Monday to refrain from offensive operations in Syria, as fighting continued on the day U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry hoped a political transition could begin.Asked if he was dismayed Aug. 1 had come without a political transition to help end Syria's five-year civil war, Kerry said the target date was set earlier this year when there were hopes political talks could take hold amid a reduction in violence.However, a "cessation of hostilities" that began in February has now all but unraveled. In the latest incident, a Russian military helicopter was shot down in Syria's rebel-held Idlib province, killing all five people on board."It is critical, obviously, that Russia restrain both itself and the Assad regime from conducting offensive operations, just as it is our responsibility to get the opposition to refrain from engaging in those operations," Kerry told reporters."These are important days to determine whether or not Russia and the Assad regime are going to live up to" the effort to end the violence and to resume peace talks, Kerry said. "The evidence thus far is very, very troubling to everybody."U.S. officials have suggested that a Russian and Syrian "humanitarian operation" for the besieged city of Aleppo is a ruse to evacuate civilians so that their forces can go after militants in the city who oppose Assad's rule.(Reporting by Arshad Mohammed and David Alexander; Editing by Leslie Adler)
U.S. general seeks to soothe Turkey ties strained by coup purge-[By Nick Tattersall and Gareth Jones]-August 1, 2016-YAHOONEWS
ISTANBUL, Turkey (Reuters) - America's highest-ranking military officer sought on Monday to soothe strained ties with NATO ally Turkey, which was angered by the West's response to a failed military coup and an apparent U.S. reluctance to hand over the cleric it says was responsible.The fallout from the abortive coup on July 15, in which more than 230 people died as mutinous soldiers commandeered fighter jets, helicopters and tanks, has deepened a rift between Ankara and its Western allies.President Tayyip Erdogan and many Turks have been frustrated by U.S. and European criticism of a government crackdown in the aftermath of the attempted putsch in a country vital to the U.S.-led fight against Islamic State and to stopping illegal migration to Europe.They have accused Western leaders of being more concerned about the rights of the plotters than the gravity of the threat to a NATO member.More than 60,000 people in the military, judiciary, civil service and education have been detained, suspended or placed under investigation since the coup, prompting fears that Erdogan is cracking down on all dissent."It is important that the United States, our friend and ally, display a clear and decisive stance against this terrorist coup attempt against our nation and democracy," Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford during their meeting in Ankara.Condemning the failed coup in Turkey, Dunford, the principal military adviser to the American president, said his visit was to show solidarity and added that the United States supports Turkish democracy, a statement from Yildirim's office said.Earlier on Monday, about 150 protesters marched to the U.S. Embassy in Ankara to protest Dunford's visit. "Coup plotter Dunford get out of Turkey," the crowd chanted."Dunford go home. Send us Fethullah," said one banner, in reference to U.S.-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, whose network of followers in the military and state institutions are blamed by Erdogan for orchestrating the coup plot.The 75-year-old cleric, who has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999, denies involvement in the failed coup. President Barack Obama has said Washington will extradite him only if Turkey provides evidence of wrongdoing.Dunford also met his Turkish counterpart and U.S. personnel stationed at the Incirlik air base in southern Turkey, used by the U.S.-led coalition in the fight against Islamic State.The scale of the purges, which have seen around 40 percent of generals and admirals dismissed, along with suggestions from officials that the death penalty may be reintroduced, have alarmed Western states nervous about Erdogan's tightening grip.In Washington, Turkish lawmakers from the ruling party and the two largest opposition parties visited the U.S. Justice Department on Monday, the first stop on a weeklong trip in which they will try to persuade U.S. officials to support Gulen's extradition.Turkey will send the United States new evidence within weeks, "if not days," proving that Gulen ordered the coup, said Taha Ozhan, the head of the delegation.The evidence will be more recent than the documents Turkey has sent the U.S. Justice Department so far, which all date from before July 15 and will include testimony and intercepted messages from alleged plotters who have been detained in Turkey, according to Ozhan."Through their messages, through their hidden communications, Turkish intelligence actually captured many (pieces of) evidence" that directly implicate Gulen, he said.Senior Turkish officials rounded on Germany for preventing Erdogan from addressing a rally on Sunday of his supporters in Cologne via video link. Berlin's foreign ministry spokesman acknowledged relations were going through a "bumpy patch".-"'KILL US', THEY WILL BEG"-Turkish special forces overnight captured a group of 11 rebel commandos who had tried to seize or kill Erdogan during the coup. Drones and helicopters pinpointed them in forested hills around the Mediterranean resort of Marmaris after a two-week manhunt, an official said.They were part of a group that attacked a hotel where Erdogan was holidaying on the night of the July 15 coup.Video footage showed a dozen or so anti-coup demonstrators jeering the 11 detained soldiers, some of whom had swollen faces and bruises. The demonstrators waved Turkish flags and chanted "Traitors! We want the death penalty!"Erdogan's crackdown after the failed coup has made European leaders even more uneasy about their dependence on the country to help stem illegal migration, in return for which Turks have been promised visa-free travel to the European Union.-CIVILIAN CONTROL OVER MILITARY-The coup attempt shocked Turkey, which last saw a violent military power grab in 1980, and shook international confidence in the stability of the country.Nearly 1,400 more members of the armed forces were dismissed, and the top military council was stacked with government ministers on Sunday, moves designed by Erdogan to tighten civilian control over the military.Turkey's defence ministry has changed the postings of 167 generals within the army on Monday, reshuffling senior ranking officers in key positions. Defence Minister Fikri Isik said expulsions from the army were not over."There will be more if necessary," he said in an interview with CNN Turk television. He added that a total of 311 soldiers were still at large following the coup attempt.More than 1,700 military personnel were dishonourably discharged last week for their role in the putsch.Erdogan has said Gulen harnessed his network of schools, charities and businesses, built up in Turkey and abroad over decades, to create a "parallel state" that aimed to take over the country.However, the cleric has condemned the coup, and in an interview with CNN broadcast on Sunday repeated his denial that he had been involved in it.(Additional reporting by Daren Butler, Yesim Dikmen and Humeyra Pamuk in Istanbul, Mert Ozkan, Tulay Karadeniz and Ercan Gurses in Ankara, Paul Carrel in Berlin, Francesco Guarascio in Brussels, Julia Harte in Washington; Writing by Nick Tattersall; Editing by Tom Heneghan and Jonathan Oatis)
Turkish defense minister says expulsions from military not over-[Reuters]-August 1, 2016-YAHOONEWS
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Expulsions from the military are not entirely over and more personnel will be dismissed if necessary, Turkish defense minister told CNN Turk television on Monday, following the dismissal of thousands of soldiers after a failed coup.There were 311 soldiers, including 9 generals, still at large, Fikri Isik said, following the July 15-16 attempted coup when a faction of the military commandeered tanks, helicopters and fighter jets and attempted to topple the government. Isik said that they were believed to still be in Turkey.(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by Louise Ireland)
Iraq PM orders probe into corruption allegations over weapons deals-[Reuters]-August 1, 2016-YAHOONEWS
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Monday ordered an investigation into allegations of corruption in weapons deals that risks re-igniting a political crisis ahead of planned military moves to retake Mosul from Islamic State.Infighting over anti-corruption measures, which stalled government activity for several months and sparked clashes between protesters and security forces in Baghdad earlier this year, threatens to slow momentum to recapture Mosul and capitalise on battlefield gains against the ultra-hardline militants.Iraqi Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jabouri denied charges of corruption made at a closed parliament session by Defence Minister Khaled al-Obeidi that was broadcast late Monday on state television.Obeidi told the session that Jabouri and other MPs he identified had lobbied on different occasions on behalf of companies or businessmen seeking contracts to sell planes, Hummer all-terrain vehicles, civilian cars or foodstuff to the army, or to appoint soldiers, officers and personnel at the ministry.Abadi said in a statement that he had directed the Integrity Commission, a government body tasked with fighting corruption, to investigate the accusations.Obeidi had been summoned to parliament to respond to allegations of graft in the Ministry of Defence, which has been accused of wasting billions of dollars in public funds and weakening the armed forces to the point where they collapsed in 2014 in the face of the Islamic State threat."What happened today was a charade in order for the questioning not to be held", Jabouri said in a televised news conference following the session. He also said he would refrain from chairing parliament until he can clear his name.Islamic State seized a third of Iraqi territory two years ago, but has since been pushed out of many of those areas by Shi'ite Muslim militias and a military that is slowly being rebuilt with the support of a U.S.-led coalition.Former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, who was forced to resign following the Islamic State surge, was acting defence minister at the time.Abadi has been trying for more than two years to tackle corruption in Iraq, which ranks 161 out of 168 on Transparency International's Corruption Index, but has faced resistance from much of the country's political elite.Obeidi told state television in an interview on Saturday that the summons to appear in parliament was "a conspiracy by the corrupt, a political targeting because of tackling corruption".He said that since taking over the ministry, he had cut down significantly on graft in weapons deals and "ghost soldiers" - members of the military who do not exist but whose salaries are collected.(Reporting by Stephen Kalin, Saif Hameed and Maher Chmaytelli; editing by Richard Balmforth, G Crosse)
STORMS HURRICANES-TORNADOES
LUKE 21:25-26
25 And there shall be signs in the sun,(HEATING UP-SOLAR ECLIPSES) and in the moon,(MAN ON MOON-LUNAR ECLIPSES) and in the stars;(ASTEROIDS ETC) and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear,(TORNADOES,HURRICANES,STORMS) and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth:(DESTRUCTION) for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.(FROM QUAKES,NUKES ETC)
THE FIRST JUDGEMENT OF THE EARTH STARTED WITH WATER-IT ONLY MAKES SENSE THE LAST GENERATION WILL BE HAVING FLOODING
GENESIS 7:6-12
6 And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.
7 And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.
8 Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth,
9 There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.
10 And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.
11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
12 And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
GOD PROMISED BY A RAINBOW-THE EARTH WOULD NEVER BE DESTROYED TOTALLY WITH A FLOOD AGAIN.BUT FLOODIING IS A SIGN OF JUDGEMENT.
Fort McMurray flooding a 'bad dream' after wildfire-[CBC]-August 1, 2016-YAHOONEWS
People in Fort McMurray are taking stock of water damage after torrential rain flooded parts of the city over the weekend, including some areas that escaped devastation from the wildfire that forced tens of thousands out of the northern Alberta community in May.Rising water prompted the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo to reopen its emergency operations centre for the first time since the wildfire, which has come to be known as the Beast.City crews in drainage trucks pumped water out of those neighbourhoods on the weekend, even as it trickled into basements and forced road closures."It's a bad dream," said city Coun. Keith McGrath. "I think I'm in a bit of a denial state. How can this happen? How can so much happen within the span of three months?"McGrath said the flooding is a further drain on Fort McMurray, which reopened to wildfire evacuees in June.Even though the physical damage appears manageable, he said, the emotional toll is high."It's an upsetting time for a lot of people," he said. "When do we get a break? "It just seems like it never ends for us ... It's just not our year."McGrath said the full extent of damage won't be known until the floodwaters turn to puddles."All you can do is be strong for each other, but it gets old," he said."We won't give up."Water began to recede Sunday evening. Even still, fire crews stood by to wade into any rescue efforts.But their boots stayed dry, said Brad Grainger, the fire department's deputy chief of operations.Grainger said it was a relief for firefighters, who had assembled quickly at the hint of another possible natural disaster."We just went through the largest disaster in Canadian history, so I think we're OK for a couple of years. It's somebody else's turn."@ZoeHTodd
Maryland town ravaged by deadly flood looks to rebuild-[By Laila Kearney]-August 1, 2016-YAHOONEWS
(Reuters) - A quaint central Maryland town known for its antique shops and haunted mansions was beginning to clean up debris on Monday after weekend flooding killed at least two people and badly damaged dozens of buildings, government officials said.Torrential rain caused a tributary of the Patapsco River to overflow and send floodwaters through Ellicott City, an unincorporated community in Howard County, about 35 miles (56 km) northeast of Washington, D.C."We've been through blizzards, we've been through hurricanes, we've been through terrible train accidents, but we have never seen devastation like this," U.S. Democratic Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, told reporters at a news conference.Mikulski praised the work of emergency officials and citizens who helped save lives of those threatened by the surging waters.Search and rescue workers came to the aid of about 120 people stranded in the flooding, while residents formed a human chain to free a woman trapped inside her car when raging waters enveloped the vehicle on a downtown street."For the people who did things like form the human chain -- I tell you, it really shows that the people here have such grit," she said.A video posted online by local media of the so-called human chain shows an unidentified woman in a compact convertible car as muddy, waist-deep waters gush down a roadway that looks like a raging river. At first one man attempts to reach the woman but is swept off his feet. Soon after, the video shows a group of men link arms and stretch out towards the vehicle, eventually pulling the woman from her car to safety.Overnight, more than 180 vehicles were towed from streets, parking lots and the riverbed to a local high school, county officials said. An additional 20 cars were stuck in an area of the river."With the cars removed, Monday's focus is on debris removal," county officials said in a statement.Meanwhile, scattered thunderstorms were expected throughout the day, according to the National Weather Service.Elliott City received almost 6 inches (15 cm) of rain in two hours late on Saturday, causing the tributary, Tiber Creek, to break its banks.Vehicles were swept down city streets and dozens of buildings were badly damaged in addition to those destroyed, county officials said.Every business near the river on the town's historic Main Street had suffered major damage, including building fronts torn off and doors stripped away, county officials said.The bodies of two people, a man and a woman, were found in the aftermath, one in the river, officials said.Maryland Governor Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency, as did Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman. The declarations allow aid to be released more quickly for Ellicott City, which has a population of about 65,000.Kittleman said the money would help pay for infrastructure improvements to make the town more resilient to flooding."We are going to make sure Ellicott City rises up to be an even stronger more vibrant place than it is right now," he said.Officials were still assessing the number of people displaced by the flooding and the cost of damage to the community, a county spokeswoman said.(Reporting by Laila Kearney; Editing by Frances Kerry and Diane Craft)
FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS
REVELATION 8:7
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
California crews battle Big Sur blaze for 11th day-[Reuters]-By Steve Gorman-August 1, 2016-YAHOONEWS
(Reuters) - Crews battling a deadly wildfire that has gutted dozens of homes near California's Big Sur coast looked forward to cooler weather to help them slow the flames on Monday as the blaze raged for an 11th day, burning most heavily in rugged, inaccessible terrain.The combination of steep, mountainous landscape and extremely hot, dry conditions has hampered efforts to quell the so-called Soberanes Fire, which erupted on July 22 just south of the picturesque ocean side town of Carmel-by-the-Sea.Carmel itself has remained largely out of harm's way, but the blaze has roared through more than 40,000 acres (16,190 hectares) of drought-parched chaparral, grass and timber in and around the Los Padres National Forest.A force of nearly 5,300 firefighters has managed to slow the pace of the fire's spread during the past two days. But containment of the blaze - a measure of how much of its perimeter has been cleared by fire crews of unburned vegetation - stood at less than 20 percent on Monday.As long as crews can keep the fire's growth somewhat in check, "we should get more containment as we go along," said Toni Davis, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).She added that slightly lower temperatures in the forecast should help that effort, even as some of the heaviest fire has crept into areas largely beyond the reach of ground crews.Flames have already destroyed 57 homes and 11 outbuildings, with at least five other structures damaged, according to the latest tally. Another 2,000 structures were threatened, with an estimated 350 residents displaced by evacuations.The fire threat, coming at the height of the region's summer travel season, has prompted the closure of several popular California campgrounds and recreation areas along the northern end of the Big Sur coastline, including Point Lobos State Natural Reserve and Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.Officials on Sunday ordered evacuations for the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center in Pfeiffer Big Sur.The blaze took a deadly turn last Tuesday when a bulldozer operator hired by property owners to help battle the flames was killed when his tractor rolled over. It was the second California wildfire-related death in a week.Another fire broke out on Saturday in grass and brush about 30 miles (48 km) northeast of Fresno, in central California, and has since charred about 1,800 acres (607 hectares), threatening 400 structures, according to Cal Fire. On Monday, it was listed as 15 percent contained.(Reporting by Steve Gorman; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Will Dunham)
Texas allows guns in college classrooms under new law-[By Jon Herskovitz]-August 1, 2016-YAHOONEWS
AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - A new law went into effect in Texas on Monday that allows certain students to bring guns into classrooms, with supporters saying it could prevent mass shootings and critics saying the measure will endanger safety on campuses.The so-called state "campus carry" law allows people 21 and older with a concealed handgun license to carry pistols in classrooms and most buildings throughout public universities, including the University of Texas system, one of the nation's largest with an enrolment of more than 214,000 students.The law took effect as the university held a memorial to mark the 50th anniversary of one of the deadliest U.S. gun incidents on a college campus. On Aug. 1 1966, student Charles Whitman killed 16 people in a rampage, firing from a perch atop the clock tower at the University of Texas at Austin, the state's flagship public university.Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican who supports campus carry, said a gunman could already bring a firearm on to campus, and the law could prevent mass shootings because someone with a licensed concealed weapon could be ready to confront a gunman."What campus carry does is that it only authorizes those who go through the special training and background" to carry firearms, his office quoted him as saying.University of Texas professors lobbied unsuccessfully to prevent the law, arguing the combination of youth, firearms and college life could make for a deadly situation. University President Gregory Fenves reluctantly allowed campus carry, saying he was compelled to do so under state law.Last month, three professors sued to block the law, saying it could have a chilling effect on academic freedom. Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, said the law was constitutionally sound and he would defend it.The law allows private colleges to opt out, and most of the state's best-known private universities have done so, saying the measure runs counter to protecting student safety.Eight states allow people to carry concealed weapons on public post-secondary campuses, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.At the Austin campus, third-year graduate architecture student Rachel Warburton said she was against campus carry since it runs counter to the idea that a university should be open and safe for all."It brings an air to the campus that you don't feel safe and you feel that you always have to be protected," she said ahead of the memorial.(Editing by Bernadette Baum and David Gregorio)
POISONED WATERS
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,(EARTH) 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.
ZEPHANIAH 1:2-3
2 I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the LORD.
3 I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumblingblocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD.
EZEKIEL 32:6-9
6 I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest, even to the mountains; and the rivers shall be full of thee.
7 And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light.
8 All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord GOD.
9 I will also vex the hearts of many people, when I shall bring thy destruction among the nations, into the countries which thou hast not known.
REVELATION 8:8-11
8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
9 And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.
10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;
11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood:(bitter,Poisoned) and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.(poisoned)
REVELATION 16:3-7
3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.(enviromentalists won't like this result)
4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.
5 And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.
6 For they(False World Church and Dictator) have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.
Payments from 2012 BP settlement $7.9 billion so far-[Associated Press]-August 1, 2016-YAHOONEWS
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The office that processes claims for businesses and people who suffered economic losses from the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill says it has approved payments totaling $8.5 billion as of June 30.Of that, $7.9 billion in claims has been paid.The figures are in the latest federal court filing from Michael Juneau, the administrator of claims paid under a 2012 settlement BP reached with businesses and individuals affected by the spill after the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion. More recently, BP reached a $20 billion settlement with state and federal governments.Last month, BP announced it expects costs arising from the spill to total $61.6 billion — or about $44 billion after tax deductions. That includes response, cleanup, and various settlements and criminal and civil penalties.
DRUG PUSHERS AND ADDICTS
1 PET 5:8
8 Be sober,(NOT DRUGED UP OR ALCOHOLICED) be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
REVELATION 18:23
23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries (DRUGS) were all nations deceived.
REVELATION 9:21
21 Neither repented they of their murders,(KILLING) nor of their sorceries (DRUG ADDICTS AND DRUG PUSHERS), nor of their fornication,(SEX OUTSIDE MARRIAGE OR PROSTITUTION FOR MONEY) nor of their thefts.(STEALING)
Bolivia police seize 7.5 tonnes of cocaine-[Reuters]-August 1, 2016-YAHOONEWS
LA PAZ (Reuters) - Bolivian police have seized 7.5 tonnes of cocaine and arrested three Bolivians in a massive bust of drugs headed for Honduras and likely eventual sale in the United States, a government official said on Monday.The haul, which was hidden in a cargo of minerals, would be worth over $160 million in Honduras and $350 million in the United States, Bolivian interior minister Carlos Romero said at a news conference.Romero said the cocaine had been intercepted in trucks carrying borates along a remote mountain pass that connects Bolivia with Chile's sea ports.In May, Colombian police confiscated 8 tonnes of cocaine, which officials described as one of the largest in the history of the country.(Reporting by Daniel Ramos, Writing by Rosalba O'Brien; Editing by Richard Chang)
DISEASES
REVELATION 6:7-8
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse:(CHLORES GREEN) and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword,(WEAPONS) and with hunger,(FAMINE) and with death,(INCURABLE DISEASES) and with the beasts of the earth.(ANIMAL TO HUMAN DISEASE).
Factbox: Why the Zika virus is causing alarm-[Reuters]-August 1, 2016-YAHOONEWS
Global health officials are racing to better understand the Zika virus behind a major outbreak that began in Brazil last year and has spread to many countries in the Americas.The following are some questions and answers about the virus and current outbreak:How do people become infected? Zika is transmitted to people through the bite of infected female mosquitoes, primarily the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the same type that spreads dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said Aedes mosquitoes are found in all countries in the Americas except Canada and continental Chile, and the virus will likely reach all countries and territories of the region where Aedes mosquitoes are found.How do you treat Zika? There is no treatment or vaccine for Zika infection. Companies and scientists are racing to develop a safe and effective vaccine for Zika, but the World Health Organization (WHO) had said it would take at least 18 months to start large-scale clinical trials of potential preventative shots.How dangerous is it? The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concluded that infection with the Zika virus in pregnant women is a cause of the birth defect microcephaly and other severe brain abnormalities in babies. The CDC said now that the causal relationship has been established, several important questions must still be answered with studies that could take years.According to the World Health Organization, there is strong scientific consensus that Zika can cause the birth defect microcephaly in babies, a condition defined by unusually small heads that can result in developmental problems. In addition, the agency said it could cause Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that can result in paralysis. Conclusive proof of the damage caused by Zika may take months or years.Brazil reports the number of confirmed cases of microcephaly at more than 1,600 as doctors and Brazilian health officials find that some suspected cases of microcephaly are not the disorder. Suspected ones under investigation declined to 3,257.Brazil registered 91,387 likely cases of the Zika virus from February until April 2.Current research in Brazil indicates the greatest microcephaly risk is associated with infection during the first trimester of pregnancy, but health officials have warned an impact could be seen in later weeks. Recent studies have shown evidence of Zika in amniotic fluid, placenta and fetal brain tissue.What are the symptoms of Zika infection? People infected with Zika may have a mild fever, skin rash, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain and fatigue that can last for two to seven days. But as many as 80 percent of people infected never develop symptoms. The symptoms are similar to those of dengue or chikungunya, which are transmitted by the same type of mosquito.How can Zika be contained? Efforts to control the spread of the virus focus on eliminating mosquito breeding sites and taking precautions against mosquito bites such as using insect repellent and mosquito nets. U.S. and international health officials have advised pregnant women to avoid travel to Latin American and Caribbean countries where they may be exposed to Zika.How widespread is the outbreak? Active Zika outbreaks have been reported in at least 51 countries or territories, most of them in the Americas, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Brazil has been the country most affected. (http://1.usa.gov/1ovAJyh)-Africa (1): Cape Verde-Americas (42): Anguilla, Argentina, Aruba, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Bonaire, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Curaçao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saba, Puerto Rico, Saint Barthelmy, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Eustatius, St. Maarten, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, U.S. Virgin Islands and Venezuela-Oceania/Pacific Islands (8): American Samoa, Fiji, Kosrae, Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, and Tonga.What is the history of the Zika virus? The Zika virus is found in tropical locales with large mosquito populations. Outbreaks of Zika have been recorded in Africa, the Americas, Southern Asia and the Western Pacific. The virus was first identified in Uganda in 1947 in rhesus monkeys and was first identified in people in 1952 in Uganda and Tanzania, according to the WHO.Can Zika be transmitted through sexual contact? The World Health Organization (WHO) said sexual transmission is "relatively common" and has advised pregnant women not to travel to areas with ongoing outbreaks of Zika virus. It also advised women living in areas where the virus is being transmitted to delay getting pregnant.The U.S. CDC is investigating about a dozen cases of possible sexual transmission. Those cases involved possible transmission of the virus from men to their sex partners.But the CDC issued updated recommendations for preventing and testing for Zika infection on July 25, warning that the virus can be transmitted through unprotected sex with an infected female partner.A reported case of female-to-male sexual transmission in New York City, and limited human and non-human primate data indicating that Zika virus RNA can be detected in vaginal secretions, led to the new warning, the agency said.CDC's expanded warnings on sexual exposure to Zika now caution against sex without a condom or other barrier method of protection with any person, male or female, who has traveled to or lives in an area with Zika, including female to female transmission with a pregnant partner.British health officials reported Zika was found in a man's semen two months after he was infected, suggesting the virus may linger in semen long after infection symptoms fade.The PAHO said Zika can be transmitted through blood, but this is an infrequent transmission mechanism. There is no evidence Zika can be transmitted to babies through breast milk.The WHO has identified Zika cases in Argentina, Chile, France, Italy and New Zealand as likely caused by sexual transmission.What other complications are associated with Zika? Zika has also been associated with other neurological disorders, including serious brain and spinal cord infections. The long-term health consequences of Zika infection are unclear. Other uncertainties surround the incubation period of the virus and how Zika interacts with other viruses that are transmitted by mosquitoes, such as dengue.(Compiled by the Americas Desk)
AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - The pilot killed along with 15 other people in the crash of a hot air balloon in central Texas on Saturday had numerous convictions for drunk driving and at least one drug-related charge dating back to 1990, according to online records.The balloon, flown by Heart of Texas Hot Air Balloon Rides chief pilot and owner Alfred "Skip" Nichols, hit a power line, setting its basket on fire, and plummeted into a pasture near Lockhart, about 30 miles (50 km) south of the state capital Austin, killing all aboard.Authorities have not yet issued findings of their investigation into the cause of the crash.Online records in Missouri's St. Louis County show Nichols pleaded guilty to drunk driving charges at least three times between 1990 and 2010, as well as several other vehicular charges.In 2000, he also pleaded guilty to a drug-related charge and spent time in prison, according to criminal records.Following his 2010 conviction for drunk driving, Nichols was sentenced to seven years in prison and was released on parole in January 2012 after less than a year and a half.In a statement on its Facebook page, the company expressed its condolences to those killed in the crash."There are simply no words to express our profound sadness at this event that has taken away so many of our loved ones," it said in a Facebook post.The company said it has not been in contact with the relatives of those killed in the crash as it is being probed by U.S. investigators. It could not be reached for further comment.The names of the passengers killed have not been officially released but social media posts and local media reports indicate the victims included a couple celebrating their 23rd wedding anniversary with a balloon ride at sunrise.Aerial television footage showed flattened remnants of the red, white and blue balloon, adorned with a yellow smiley face wearing sunglasses.The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board two years ago recommended greater oversight of the hot air balloon industry, said Robert Sumwalt, who is heading the federal agency's investigation of the accident.It was the deadliest crash involving a hot air balloon in the Western Hemisphere, according to the Balloon Federation of North America.(Additional reporting by Joseph Ax in New York; Editing by Will Dunham and Sandra Maler)
WORLD POWERS IN THE LAST DAYS (END OF AGE OF GRACE NOT THE WORLD)
EUROPEAN UNION-KING OF WEST-DAN 9:26-27,DAN 7:23-24,DAN 11:40,REV 13:1-10
EGYPT-KING OF THE SOUTH-DAN 11:40
RUSSIA-KING OF THE NORTH-EZEK 38:1-2,EZEK 39:1-3
CHINA-KING OF THE EAST-DAN 11:44,REV 9:16,18
VATICAN-RELIGIOUS LEADER-REV 13:11-18,REV 17:4-5,9,18
WORLD TERRORISM
GENESIS 6:11-13
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.(WORLD TERRORISM,MURDERS)(HAMAS IN HEBREW IS VIOLENCE)
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence (TERRORISM)(HAMAS) through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
GENESIS 16:11-12
11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her,(HAGAR) Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael;(FATHER OF THE ARAB/MUSLIMS) because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
12 And he (ISHMAEL-FATHER OF THE ARAB-MUSLIMS) will be a wild (DONKEY-JACKASS) man;(ISLAM IS A FAKE AND DANGEROUS SEX FOR MURDER CULT) his hand will be against every man,(ISLAM HATES EVERYONE) and every man's hand against him;(PROTECTING THEMSELVES FROM BEING BEHEADED) and he (ISHMAEL ARAB/MUSLIM) shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.(LITERAL-THE ARABS LIVE WITH THEIR BRETHERN JEWS)
ISAIAH 14:12-14
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer,(SATAN) son of the morning!(HEBREW-CRECENT MOON-ISLAM) how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I (SATAN HAS EYE TROUBLES) will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.(AND 1/3RD OF THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN FELL WITH SATAN AND BECAME DEMONS)
JOHN 16:2
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.(ISLAM MURDERS IN THE NAME OF MOON GOD ALLAH OF ISLAM)
Bosnia clears path for EU membership-By EUOBSERVER-AUG 1,16
Today, 09:30-Bosnia's rival leaders have agreed to key conditions set by the EU for membership, amid pressure to get a much needed IMF loan. "We solved today a set of issues which open the way for the acceptance of Bosnia's application ... but also open the way towards the IMF arrangement," leader of the Muslim Bosniak SDA party and chairman of the country's three-man inter-ethnic presidency, Bakir Izetbegovic, said on Sunday.
US launches airstrikes targeting IS militants in Libya-[The Canadian Press]-August 1, 2016-YAHOONEWS
WASHINGTON — The United States launched multiple airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Libya on Monday, opening a new, more persistent front against the group at the request of the United Nations-backed government, Libyan and U.S. officials said.Fayez Serraj, the head of Libya's U.N.-brokered presidency council, said in a televised statement that American warplanes attacked the IS bastion of Sirte on the Mediterranean in northern Libya. No U.S. ground forces will be deployed, he said.The precision strikes, which targeted an Islamic State tank and vehicles, come amid growing concerns about the group's increased threat to Europe and its ability to inspire attacks across the region, even though its numbers have been shrinking because of attacks from local forces and allied international troops."The presidency council, as the general army commander, has made a request for direct U.S. support to carry out specific airstrikes," Serraj said. "The first strikes started today in positions in Sirte, causing major casualties."The strikes mark the start of a more intense American role in the fight against IS in Libya, as the U.S. steps in to assist the fragile, U.N.-backed government. They were the first strikes by the U.S. on the group in Libya since February, and they are expected to continue. But officials said they expect the air campaign will last weeks, not months.Obama's authorization for action in Sirte covers strikes, intelligence and surveillance, but not ground operations, according to a White House official, who wasn't authorized to speak publicly about the strikes and requested anonymity.Serraj said his government is joining the coalition against IS, adding, "This is the time for the international community to live up to its promises to the Libyan people."He also noted that the strikes will not go beyond Sirte and its surroundings. He said any other foreign intervention is not allowed without co-ordination .His warning comes after several French commandos were killed fighting Islamic State militants. U.S., French, British and Italian special operations forces and military experts have been assisting Libyan troops fighting IS militants in eastern and western Libya.Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said President Barack Obama authorized the strikes following a recommendation from Defence Secretary Ash Carter and Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.Cook told reporters that U.S. Africa Command will co-ordinate any strikes with the Libyans and that the new air campaign will last as long as the Libyans request assistance to eliminate IS from Sirte. The U.S. is also providing airborne surveillance and intelligence. And a small team of U.S. special operations forces is in an operations centre in Libya — outside of Sirte — to help co-ordinate the airstrikes, according to U.S. officials who were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly so spoke anonymously.Mohammed al-Ghasri, the commander of a pro-government militia known as al-Bonyan al-Marsous, said his forces gave target co-ordinates of Islamic State positions to the U.S.While there are no U.S. ground forces being used in connection with the latest strikes, Cook would not comment on whether other American special operations forces are currently in Libya. They have been routinely moving in and out of the country, meeting with Libyan groups.U.S. officials earlier this year estimated there were as many as 6,000 Islamic State insurgents in Libya, including some who have abandoned Syria. But in recent months, officials say, their numbers in Libya have dropped and the group is weakening there under pressure from local militias and the U.N.-brokered government.Two weeks ago, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Islamic State fighters in Libya are facing the "distinct possibility" of defeat in their last stronghold.And Dunford estimated in mid-July that there were only a few hundred militants still inside Sirte, which the group has used as a headquarters."I don't think there is any doubt that the Islamic State in Libya is weaker than it was some months ago," said Dunford, adding, "They've suffered significant casualties in and around the Benghazi area."In February, American F-15E fighter-bombers struck an Islamic State training camp in rural Libya near the Tunisian border, killing more than 40. And in November, a U.S. airstrike killed a top Islamic State leader in Libya.Libya slid into chaos after the ouster and killing of dictator Col. Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. The power and security vacuum left the country a breeding ground for militias and militants, including the Islamic State group and al-Qaida affiliates.Since 2014, Libya has been split between rival governments and parliaments based in the western and eastern regions, each backed by different militias and tribes. The U.N. brokered a deal in December, which tried to mend the rift by creating a presidency council and a unity government.Libya's pro-government militias — mainly from the western city of Misrata — have been waging an offensive against the Islamic State group in Sirte since May, but it has recently stalled.___Associated Press writers Maggie Michael in Cairo and Josh Lederman and Robert Burns in Washington contributed to this report.Lolita C. Baldor, The Associated Press
Kremlin: Russian personnel on board helicopter downed in Syria are dead-[Reuters]-August 1, 2016-YAHOONEWS
MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin on Monday said that Russian military personnel on board a helicopter shot down in Syria on Monday were dead, citing the Russian Defense Ministry.The helicopter, with five people on board, was shot down in Idlib Province, Russian news agencies quoted the Defense Ministry as saying.They died a "heroic death" on a humanitarian mission, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with reporters. He said the helicopter had tried to veer away from inhabited areas to avoid civilian deaths.Peskov also said that Moscow would continue fighting international terrorism "on all fronts" despite threats from Islamic State.On Sunday, Islamic State posted a nine-minute video message on YouTube, calling on its members to carry out jihad or holy war in Russia.(Reporting by Dmitry Solovyov; Editing by Andrew Osborn)
Russia must restrain itself, Assad from offensive Syria strikes: Kerry-[Reuters]-August 1, 2016-YAHOONEWS
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States called on Russia and the Syrian government on Monday to refrain from offensive operations in Syria, as fighting continued on the day U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry hoped a political transition could begin.Asked if he was dismayed Aug. 1 had come without a political transition to help end Syria's five-year civil war, Kerry said the target date was set earlier this year when there were hopes political talks could take hold amid a reduction in violence.However, a "cessation of hostilities" that began in February has now all but unraveled. In the latest incident, a Russian military helicopter was shot down in Syria's rebel-held Idlib province, killing all five people on board."It is critical, obviously, that Russia restrain both itself and the Assad regime from conducting offensive operations, just as it is our responsibility to get the opposition to refrain from engaging in those operations," Kerry told reporters."These are important days to determine whether or not Russia and the Assad regime are going to live up to" the effort to end the violence and to resume peace talks, Kerry said. "The evidence thus far is very, very troubling to everybody."U.S. officials have suggested that a Russian and Syrian "humanitarian operation" for the besieged city of Aleppo is a ruse to evacuate civilians so that their forces can go after militants in the city who oppose Assad's rule.(Reporting by Arshad Mohammed and David Alexander; Editing by Leslie Adler)
U.S. general seeks to soothe Turkey ties strained by coup purge-[By Nick Tattersall and Gareth Jones]-August 1, 2016-YAHOONEWS
ISTANBUL, Turkey (Reuters) - America's highest-ranking military officer sought on Monday to soothe strained ties with NATO ally Turkey, which was angered by the West's response to a failed military coup and an apparent U.S. reluctance to hand over the cleric it says was responsible.The fallout from the abortive coup on July 15, in which more than 230 people died as mutinous soldiers commandeered fighter jets, helicopters and tanks, has deepened a rift between Ankara and its Western allies.President Tayyip Erdogan and many Turks have been frustrated by U.S. and European criticism of a government crackdown in the aftermath of the attempted putsch in a country vital to the U.S.-led fight against Islamic State and to stopping illegal migration to Europe.They have accused Western leaders of being more concerned about the rights of the plotters than the gravity of the threat to a NATO member.More than 60,000 people in the military, judiciary, civil service and education have been detained, suspended or placed under investigation since the coup, prompting fears that Erdogan is cracking down on all dissent."It is important that the United States, our friend and ally, display a clear and decisive stance against this terrorist coup attempt against our nation and democracy," Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford during their meeting in Ankara.Condemning the failed coup in Turkey, Dunford, the principal military adviser to the American president, said his visit was to show solidarity and added that the United States supports Turkish democracy, a statement from Yildirim's office said.Earlier on Monday, about 150 protesters marched to the U.S. Embassy in Ankara to protest Dunford's visit. "Coup plotter Dunford get out of Turkey," the crowd chanted."Dunford go home. Send us Fethullah," said one banner, in reference to U.S.-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, whose network of followers in the military and state institutions are blamed by Erdogan for orchestrating the coup plot.The 75-year-old cleric, who has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999, denies involvement in the failed coup. President Barack Obama has said Washington will extradite him only if Turkey provides evidence of wrongdoing.Dunford also met his Turkish counterpart and U.S. personnel stationed at the Incirlik air base in southern Turkey, used by the U.S.-led coalition in the fight against Islamic State.The scale of the purges, which have seen around 40 percent of generals and admirals dismissed, along with suggestions from officials that the death penalty may be reintroduced, have alarmed Western states nervous about Erdogan's tightening grip.In Washington, Turkish lawmakers from the ruling party and the two largest opposition parties visited the U.S. Justice Department on Monday, the first stop on a weeklong trip in which they will try to persuade U.S. officials to support Gulen's extradition.Turkey will send the United States new evidence within weeks, "if not days," proving that Gulen ordered the coup, said Taha Ozhan, the head of the delegation.The evidence will be more recent than the documents Turkey has sent the U.S. Justice Department so far, which all date from before July 15 and will include testimony and intercepted messages from alleged plotters who have been detained in Turkey, according to Ozhan."Through their messages, through their hidden communications, Turkish intelligence actually captured many (pieces of) evidence" that directly implicate Gulen, he said.Senior Turkish officials rounded on Germany for preventing Erdogan from addressing a rally on Sunday of his supporters in Cologne via video link. Berlin's foreign ministry spokesman acknowledged relations were going through a "bumpy patch".-"'KILL US', THEY WILL BEG"-Turkish special forces overnight captured a group of 11 rebel commandos who had tried to seize or kill Erdogan during the coup. Drones and helicopters pinpointed them in forested hills around the Mediterranean resort of Marmaris after a two-week manhunt, an official said.They were part of a group that attacked a hotel where Erdogan was holidaying on the night of the July 15 coup.Video footage showed a dozen or so anti-coup demonstrators jeering the 11 detained soldiers, some of whom had swollen faces and bruises. The demonstrators waved Turkish flags and chanted "Traitors! We want the death penalty!"Erdogan's crackdown after the failed coup has made European leaders even more uneasy about their dependence on the country to help stem illegal migration, in return for which Turks have been promised visa-free travel to the European Union.-CIVILIAN CONTROL OVER MILITARY-The coup attempt shocked Turkey, which last saw a violent military power grab in 1980, and shook international confidence in the stability of the country.Nearly 1,400 more members of the armed forces were dismissed, and the top military council was stacked with government ministers on Sunday, moves designed by Erdogan to tighten civilian control over the military.Turkey's defence ministry has changed the postings of 167 generals within the army on Monday, reshuffling senior ranking officers in key positions. Defence Minister Fikri Isik said expulsions from the army were not over."There will be more if necessary," he said in an interview with CNN Turk television. He added that a total of 311 soldiers were still at large following the coup attempt.More than 1,700 military personnel were dishonourably discharged last week for their role in the putsch.Erdogan has said Gulen harnessed his network of schools, charities and businesses, built up in Turkey and abroad over decades, to create a "parallel state" that aimed to take over the country.However, the cleric has condemned the coup, and in an interview with CNN broadcast on Sunday repeated his denial that he had been involved in it.(Additional reporting by Daren Butler, Yesim Dikmen and Humeyra Pamuk in Istanbul, Mert Ozkan, Tulay Karadeniz and Ercan Gurses in Ankara, Paul Carrel in Berlin, Francesco Guarascio in Brussels, Julia Harte in Washington; Writing by Nick Tattersall; Editing by Tom Heneghan and Jonathan Oatis)
Turkish defense minister says expulsions from military not over-[Reuters]-August 1, 2016-YAHOONEWS
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Expulsions from the military are not entirely over and more personnel will be dismissed if necessary, Turkish defense minister told CNN Turk television on Monday, following the dismissal of thousands of soldiers after a failed coup.There were 311 soldiers, including 9 generals, still at large, Fikri Isik said, following the July 15-16 attempted coup when a faction of the military commandeered tanks, helicopters and fighter jets and attempted to topple the government. Isik said that they were believed to still be in Turkey.(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by Louise Ireland)
Iraq PM orders probe into corruption allegations over weapons deals-[Reuters]-August 1, 2016-YAHOONEWS
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Monday ordered an investigation into allegations of corruption in weapons deals that risks re-igniting a political crisis ahead of planned military moves to retake Mosul from Islamic State.Infighting over anti-corruption measures, which stalled government activity for several months and sparked clashes between protesters and security forces in Baghdad earlier this year, threatens to slow momentum to recapture Mosul and capitalise on battlefield gains against the ultra-hardline militants.Iraqi Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jabouri denied charges of corruption made at a closed parliament session by Defence Minister Khaled al-Obeidi that was broadcast late Monday on state television.Obeidi told the session that Jabouri and other MPs he identified had lobbied on different occasions on behalf of companies or businessmen seeking contracts to sell planes, Hummer all-terrain vehicles, civilian cars or foodstuff to the army, or to appoint soldiers, officers and personnel at the ministry.Abadi said in a statement that he had directed the Integrity Commission, a government body tasked with fighting corruption, to investigate the accusations.Obeidi had been summoned to parliament to respond to allegations of graft in the Ministry of Defence, which has been accused of wasting billions of dollars in public funds and weakening the armed forces to the point where they collapsed in 2014 in the face of the Islamic State threat."What happened today was a charade in order for the questioning not to be held", Jabouri said in a televised news conference following the session. He also said he would refrain from chairing parliament until he can clear his name.Islamic State seized a third of Iraqi territory two years ago, but has since been pushed out of many of those areas by Shi'ite Muslim militias and a military that is slowly being rebuilt with the support of a U.S.-led coalition.Former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, who was forced to resign following the Islamic State surge, was acting defence minister at the time.Abadi has been trying for more than two years to tackle corruption in Iraq, which ranks 161 out of 168 on Transparency International's Corruption Index, but has faced resistance from much of the country's political elite.Obeidi told state television in an interview on Saturday that the summons to appear in parliament was "a conspiracy by the corrupt, a political targeting because of tackling corruption".He said that since taking over the ministry, he had cut down significantly on graft in weapons deals and "ghost soldiers" - members of the military who do not exist but whose salaries are collected.(Reporting by Stephen Kalin, Saif Hameed and Maher Chmaytelli; editing by Richard Balmforth, G Crosse)
STORMS HURRICANES-TORNADOES
LUKE 21:25-26
25 And there shall be signs in the sun,(HEATING UP-SOLAR ECLIPSES) and in the moon,(MAN ON MOON-LUNAR ECLIPSES) and in the stars;(ASTEROIDS ETC) and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear,(TORNADOES,HURRICANES,STORMS) and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth:(DESTRUCTION) for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.(FROM QUAKES,NUKES ETC)
THE FIRST JUDGEMENT OF THE EARTH STARTED WITH WATER-IT ONLY MAKES SENSE THE LAST GENERATION WILL BE HAVING FLOODING
GENESIS 7:6-12
6 And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.
7 And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.
8 Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth,
9 There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.
10 And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.
11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
12 And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
GOD PROMISED BY A RAINBOW-THE EARTH WOULD NEVER BE DESTROYED TOTALLY WITH A FLOOD AGAIN.BUT FLOODIING IS A SIGN OF JUDGEMENT.
Fort McMurray flooding a 'bad dream' after wildfire-[CBC]-August 1, 2016-YAHOONEWS
People in Fort McMurray are taking stock of water damage after torrential rain flooded parts of the city over the weekend, including some areas that escaped devastation from the wildfire that forced tens of thousands out of the northern Alberta community in May.Rising water prompted the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo to reopen its emergency operations centre for the first time since the wildfire, which has come to be known as the Beast.City crews in drainage trucks pumped water out of those neighbourhoods on the weekend, even as it trickled into basements and forced road closures."It's a bad dream," said city Coun. Keith McGrath. "I think I'm in a bit of a denial state. How can this happen? How can so much happen within the span of three months?"McGrath said the flooding is a further drain on Fort McMurray, which reopened to wildfire evacuees in June.Even though the physical damage appears manageable, he said, the emotional toll is high."It's an upsetting time for a lot of people," he said. "When do we get a break? "It just seems like it never ends for us ... It's just not our year."McGrath said the full extent of damage won't be known until the floodwaters turn to puddles."All you can do is be strong for each other, but it gets old," he said."We won't give up."Water began to recede Sunday evening. Even still, fire crews stood by to wade into any rescue efforts.But their boots stayed dry, said Brad Grainger, the fire department's deputy chief of operations.Grainger said it was a relief for firefighters, who had assembled quickly at the hint of another possible natural disaster."We just went through the largest disaster in Canadian history, so I think we're OK for a couple of years. It's somebody else's turn."@ZoeHTodd
Maryland town ravaged by deadly flood looks to rebuild-[By Laila Kearney]-August 1, 2016-YAHOONEWS
(Reuters) - A quaint central Maryland town known for its antique shops and haunted mansions was beginning to clean up debris on Monday after weekend flooding killed at least two people and badly damaged dozens of buildings, government officials said.Torrential rain caused a tributary of the Patapsco River to overflow and send floodwaters through Ellicott City, an unincorporated community in Howard County, about 35 miles (56 km) northeast of Washington, D.C."We've been through blizzards, we've been through hurricanes, we've been through terrible train accidents, but we have never seen devastation like this," U.S. Democratic Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, told reporters at a news conference.Mikulski praised the work of emergency officials and citizens who helped save lives of those threatened by the surging waters.Search and rescue workers came to the aid of about 120 people stranded in the flooding, while residents formed a human chain to free a woman trapped inside her car when raging waters enveloped the vehicle on a downtown street."For the people who did things like form the human chain -- I tell you, it really shows that the people here have such grit," she said.A video posted online by local media of the so-called human chain shows an unidentified woman in a compact convertible car as muddy, waist-deep waters gush down a roadway that looks like a raging river. At first one man attempts to reach the woman but is swept off his feet. Soon after, the video shows a group of men link arms and stretch out towards the vehicle, eventually pulling the woman from her car to safety.Overnight, more than 180 vehicles were towed from streets, parking lots and the riverbed to a local high school, county officials said. An additional 20 cars were stuck in an area of the river."With the cars removed, Monday's focus is on debris removal," county officials said in a statement.Meanwhile, scattered thunderstorms were expected throughout the day, according to the National Weather Service.Elliott City received almost 6 inches (15 cm) of rain in two hours late on Saturday, causing the tributary, Tiber Creek, to break its banks.Vehicles were swept down city streets and dozens of buildings were badly damaged in addition to those destroyed, county officials said.Every business near the river on the town's historic Main Street had suffered major damage, including building fronts torn off and doors stripped away, county officials said.The bodies of two people, a man and a woman, were found in the aftermath, one in the river, officials said.Maryland Governor Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency, as did Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman. The declarations allow aid to be released more quickly for Ellicott City, which has a population of about 65,000.Kittleman said the money would help pay for infrastructure improvements to make the town more resilient to flooding."We are going to make sure Ellicott City rises up to be an even stronger more vibrant place than it is right now," he said.Officials were still assessing the number of people displaced by the flooding and the cost of damage to the community, a county spokeswoman said.(Reporting by Laila Kearney; Editing by Frances Kerry and Diane Craft)
FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS
REVELATION 8:7
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
California crews battle Big Sur blaze for 11th day-[Reuters]-By Steve Gorman-August 1, 2016-YAHOONEWS
(Reuters) - Crews battling a deadly wildfire that has gutted dozens of homes near California's Big Sur coast looked forward to cooler weather to help them slow the flames on Monday as the blaze raged for an 11th day, burning most heavily in rugged, inaccessible terrain.The combination of steep, mountainous landscape and extremely hot, dry conditions has hampered efforts to quell the so-called Soberanes Fire, which erupted on July 22 just south of the picturesque ocean side town of Carmel-by-the-Sea.Carmel itself has remained largely out of harm's way, but the blaze has roared through more than 40,000 acres (16,190 hectares) of drought-parched chaparral, grass and timber in and around the Los Padres National Forest.A force of nearly 5,300 firefighters has managed to slow the pace of the fire's spread during the past two days. But containment of the blaze - a measure of how much of its perimeter has been cleared by fire crews of unburned vegetation - stood at less than 20 percent on Monday.As long as crews can keep the fire's growth somewhat in check, "we should get more containment as we go along," said Toni Davis, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).She added that slightly lower temperatures in the forecast should help that effort, even as some of the heaviest fire has crept into areas largely beyond the reach of ground crews.Flames have already destroyed 57 homes and 11 outbuildings, with at least five other structures damaged, according to the latest tally. Another 2,000 structures were threatened, with an estimated 350 residents displaced by evacuations.The fire threat, coming at the height of the region's summer travel season, has prompted the closure of several popular California campgrounds and recreation areas along the northern end of the Big Sur coastline, including Point Lobos State Natural Reserve and Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.Officials on Sunday ordered evacuations for the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center in Pfeiffer Big Sur.The blaze took a deadly turn last Tuesday when a bulldozer operator hired by property owners to help battle the flames was killed when his tractor rolled over. It was the second California wildfire-related death in a week.Another fire broke out on Saturday in grass and brush about 30 miles (48 km) northeast of Fresno, in central California, and has since charred about 1,800 acres (607 hectares), threatening 400 structures, according to Cal Fire. On Monday, it was listed as 15 percent contained.(Reporting by Steve Gorman; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Will Dunham)
Texas allows guns in college classrooms under new law-[By Jon Herskovitz]-August 1, 2016-YAHOONEWS
AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - A new law went into effect in Texas on Monday that allows certain students to bring guns into classrooms, with supporters saying it could prevent mass shootings and critics saying the measure will endanger safety on campuses.The so-called state "campus carry" law allows people 21 and older with a concealed handgun license to carry pistols in classrooms and most buildings throughout public universities, including the University of Texas system, one of the nation's largest with an enrolment of more than 214,000 students.The law took effect as the university held a memorial to mark the 50th anniversary of one of the deadliest U.S. gun incidents on a college campus. On Aug. 1 1966, student Charles Whitman killed 16 people in a rampage, firing from a perch atop the clock tower at the University of Texas at Austin, the state's flagship public university.Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican who supports campus carry, said a gunman could already bring a firearm on to campus, and the law could prevent mass shootings because someone with a licensed concealed weapon could be ready to confront a gunman."What campus carry does is that it only authorizes those who go through the special training and background" to carry firearms, his office quoted him as saying.University of Texas professors lobbied unsuccessfully to prevent the law, arguing the combination of youth, firearms and college life could make for a deadly situation. University President Gregory Fenves reluctantly allowed campus carry, saying he was compelled to do so under state law.Last month, three professors sued to block the law, saying it could have a chilling effect on academic freedom. Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, said the law was constitutionally sound and he would defend it.The law allows private colleges to opt out, and most of the state's best-known private universities have done so, saying the measure runs counter to protecting student safety.Eight states allow people to carry concealed weapons on public post-secondary campuses, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.At the Austin campus, third-year graduate architecture student Rachel Warburton said she was against campus carry since it runs counter to the idea that a university should be open and safe for all."It brings an air to the campus that you don't feel safe and you feel that you always have to be protected," she said ahead of the memorial.(Editing by Bernadette Baum and David Gregorio)
POISONED WATERS
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,(EARTH) 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.
ZEPHANIAH 1:2-3
2 I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the LORD.
3 I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumblingblocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD.
EZEKIEL 32:6-9
6 I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest, even to the mountains; and the rivers shall be full of thee.
7 And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light.
8 All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord GOD.
9 I will also vex the hearts of many people, when I shall bring thy destruction among the nations, into the countries which thou hast not known.
REVELATION 8:8-11
8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
9 And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.
10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;
11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood:(bitter,Poisoned) and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.(poisoned)
REVELATION 16:3-7
3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.(enviromentalists won't like this result)
4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.
5 And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.
6 For they(False World Church and Dictator) have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.
Payments from 2012 BP settlement $7.9 billion so far-[Associated Press]-August 1, 2016-YAHOONEWS
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The office that processes claims for businesses and people who suffered economic losses from the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill says it has approved payments totaling $8.5 billion as of June 30.Of that, $7.9 billion in claims has been paid.The figures are in the latest federal court filing from Michael Juneau, the administrator of claims paid under a 2012 settlement BP reached with businesses and individuals affected by the spill after the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion. More recently, BP reached a $20 billion settlement with state and federal governments.Last month, BP announced it expects costs arising from the spill to total $61.6 billion — or about $44 billion after tax deductions. That includes response, cleanup, and various settlements and criminal and civil penalties.
DRUG PUSHERS AND ADDICTS
1 PET 5:8
8 Be sober,(NOT DRUGED UP OR ALCOHOLICED) be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
REVELATION 18:23
23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries (DRUGS) were all nations deceived.
REVELATION 9:21
21 Neither repented they of their murders,(KILLING) nor of their sorceries (DRUG ADDICTS AND DRUG PUSHERS), nor of their fornication,(SEX OUTSIDE MARRIAGE OR PROSTITUTION FOR MONEY) nor of their thefts.(STEALING)
Bolivia police seize 7.5 tonnes of cocaine-[Reuters]-August 1, 2016-YAHOONEWS
LA PAZ (Reuters) - Bolivian police have seized 7.5 tonnes of cocaine and arrested three Bolivians in a massive bust of drugs headed for Honduras and likely eventual sale in the United States, a government official said on Monday.The haul, which was hidden in a cargo of minerals, would be worth over $160 million in Honduras and $350 million in the United States, Bolivian interior minister Carlos Romero said at a news conference.Romero said the cocaine had been intercepted in trucks carrying borates along a remote mountain pass that connects Bolivia with Chile's sea ports.In May, Colombian police confiscated 8 tonnes of cocaine, which officials described as one of the largest in the history of the country.(Reporting by Daniel Ramos, Writing by Rosalba O'Brien; Editing by Richard Chang)
DISEASES
REVELATION 6:7-8
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse:(CHLORES GREEN) and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword,(WEAPONS) and with hunger,(FAMINE) and with death,(INCURABLE DISEASES) and with the beasts of the earth.(ANIMAL TO HUMAN DISEASE).
Factbox: Why the Zika virus is causing alarm-[Reuters]-August 1, 2016-YAHOONEWS
Global health officials are racing to better understand the Zika virus behind a major outbreak that began in Brazil last year and has spread to many countries in the Americas.The following are some questions and answers about the virus and current outbreak:How do people become infected? Zika is transmitted to people through the bite of infected female mosquitoes, primarily the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the same type that spreads dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said Aedes mosquitoes are found in all countries in the Americas except Canada and continental Chile, and the virus will likely reach all countries and territories of the region where Aedes mosquitoes are found.How do you treat Zika? There is no treatment or vaccine for Zika infection. Companies and scientists are racing to develop a safe and effective vaccine for Zika, but the World Health Organization (WHO) had said it would take at least 18 months to start large-scale clinical trials of potential preventative shots.How dangerous is it? The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concluded that infection with the Zika virus in pregnant women is a cause of the birth defect microcephaly and other severe brain abnormalities in babies. The CDC said now that the causal relationship has been established, several important questions must still be answered with studies that could take years.According to the World Health Organization, there is strong scientific consensus that Zika can cause the birth defect microcephaly in babies, a condition defined by unusually small heads that can result in developmental problems. In addition, the agency said it could cause Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that can result in paralysis. Conclusive proof of the damage caused by Zika may take months or years.Brazil reports the number of confirmed cases of microcephaly at more than 1,600 as doctors and Brazilian health officials find that some suspected cases of microcephaly are not the disorder. Suspected ones under investigation declined to 3,257.Brazil registered 91,387 likely cases of the Zika virus from February until April 2.Current research in Brazil indicates the greatest microcephaly risk is associated with infection during the first trimester of pregnancy, but health officials have warned an impact could be seen in later weeks. Recent studies have shown evidence of Zika in amniotic fluid, placenta and fetal brain tissue.What are the symptoms of Zika infection? People infected with Zika may have a mild fever, skin rash, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain and fatigue that can last for two to seven days. But as many as 80 percent of people infected never develop symptoms. The symptoms are similar to those of dengue or chikungunya, which are transmitted by the same type of mosquito.How can Zika be contained? Efforts to control the spread of the virus focus on eliminating mosquito breeding sites and taking precautions against mosquito bites such as using insect repellent and mosquito nets. U.S. and international health officials have advised pregnant women to avoid travel to Latin American and Caribbean countries where they may be exposed to Zika.How widespread is the outbreak? Active Zika outbreaks have been reported in at least 51 countries or territories, most of them in the Americas, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Brazil has been the country most affected. (http://1.usa.gov/1ovAJyh)-Africa (1): Cape Verde-Americas (42): Anguilla, Argentina, Aruba, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Bonaire, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Curaçao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saba, Puerto Rico, Saint Barthelmy, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Eustatius, St. Maarten, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, U.S. Virgin Islands and Venezuela-Oceania/Pacific Islands (8): American Samoa, Fiji, Kosrae, Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, and Tonga.What is the history of the Zika virus? The Zika virus is found in tropical locales with large mosquito populations. Outbreaks of Zika have been recorded in Africa, the Americas, Southern Asia and the Western Pacific. The virus was first identified in Uganda in 1947 in rhesus monkeys and was first identified in people in 1952 in Uganda and Tanzania, according to the WHO.Can Zika be transmitted through sexual contact? The World Health Organization (WHO) said sexual transmission is "relatively common" and has advised pregnant women not to travel to areas with ongoing outbreaks of Zika virus. It also advised women living in areas where the virus is being transmitted to delay getting pregnant.The U.S. CDC is investigating about a dozen cases of possible sexual transmission. Those cases involved possible transmission of the virus from men to their sex partners.But the CDC issued updated recommendations for preventing and testing for Zika infection on July 25, warning that the virus can be transmitted through unprotected sex with an infected female partner.A reported case of female-to-male sexual transmission in New York City, and limited human and non-human primate data indicating that Zika virus RNA can be detected in vaginal secretions, led to the new warning, the agency said.CDC's expanded warnings on sexual exposure to Zika now caution against sex without a condom or other barrier method of protection with any person, male or female, who has traveled to or lives in an area with Zika, including female to female transmission with a pregnant partner.British health officials reported Zika was found in a man's semen two months after he was infected, suggesting the virus may linger in semen long after infection symptoms fade.The PAHO said Zika can be transmitted through blood, but this is an infrequent transmission mechanism. There is no evidence Zika can be transmitted to babies through breast milk.The WHO has identified Zika cases in Argentina, Chile, France, Italy and New Zealand as likely caused by sexual transmission.What other complications are associated with Zika? Zika has also been associated with other neurological disorders, including serious brain and spinal cord infections. The long-term health consequences of Zika infection are unclear. Other uncertainties surround the incubation period of the virus and how Zika interacts with other viruses that are transmitted by mosquitoes, such as dengue.(Compiled by the Americas Desk)
