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)
OZONE DEPLETION JUDGEMENT ON THE EARTH DUE TO SIN
ISAIAH 30:26-27
26 Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold,(7X OR 7-DEGREES HOTTER) as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people,(ISRAEL) and healeth the stroke of their wound.
27 Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire:
MATTHEW 24:21-22,29
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened,(DAY LIGHT HOURS SHORTENED) there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake (ISRAELS SAKE) those days shall be shortened (Daylight hours shortened)(THE ASTEROID HITS EARTH HERE)
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
REVELATION 16:7-9
7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
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.
B.C. wildfire situation 'still deteriorating,' official says-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-July 11, 2017
KAMLOOPS, B.C. — The head of emergency management in British Columbia says the province's wildfire situation will remain challenging for several weeks.More than 200 fires burned across the province yesterday, but Bob Turner of Emergency Management BC says the situation is still deteriorating.He says about 14,000 people have been evacuated and the government's priority is keeping residents safe.The Cariboo Regional District expanded an evacuation order last night to cover the Alexis Creek and West Fraser areas in addition to the Kleena Kleene region.An evacuation alert — which puts residents on notice that they might be told to leave with little warning — was issued for the more than 10,000 residents of Williams Lake late last night. Municipal officials warned that wind and lightning forecast for tomorrow could push fires towards the city at a "rapid pace."The Thompson-Nicola Regional District added more areas to its evacuation alert in the Cache Creek area, saying a "rapidly moving wildfire" continues to pose an "imminent threat. The expanded alert includes 57 addressed in three electoral districts.Kevin Skrepnek, chief information officer with the BC Wildfire Service, says gusty winds and hot, dry conditions are expected to persist throughout the province over the next several days, meaning fire crews will not get a reprieve from the weather.The fires, which have scorched about 400 square kilometres of land, are being fought by some 1,000 B.C. firefighters, with about 300 colleagues and support staff arriving from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and New Brunswick.
State of emergency continues as fire near Fort Good Hope, N.W.T. grows to over 8,000 hectares-[CBC]-YAHOONEWS-July 10, 2017
A wildfire burning near Fort Good Hope, N.W.T. has increased in size to over 8,000 hectares and is moving closer to the community, though an evacuation order has not yet been issued.The fire, burning east of Fort Good Hope, has moved within 25 kilometres of the community, according to Frank Lepine, the director of forest management for the territory's Department of Environment and Natural Resources. It's grown to over 8,000 hectares in size, doubling in size on Sunday.In a media briefing, Lepine said that by the end of the day Monday, it's expected to have doubled in size again.Emergency plans are in place for an evacuation should the fire come closer to the community, according to Amy Kennedy, the manager of policy and planning for the territory's Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. The communities of Inuvik and Norman Wells are prepared to take people in by air should such a situation arise.According to Kennedy, children and elders would be evacuated first, followed by other residents.Fort Good Hope has a population of 516 people, according to the 2016 Census.Crews working on winter road to create fire break-The fire began July 3 after a lightning strike, prompting a state of emergency to be issued for Fort Good Hope Saturday. It's one of several currently burning in the Sahtu region of the Northwest Territories. Smoke from the fire is reaching as far as Norman Wells and Inuvik.Lepine said Monday that the fire won't be "actioned" — or fought directly with an attempt to extinguish the blaze — due to concerns about safety, as well as tieing up the territory's firefighting resources for the entire summer.Instead, fire crews in the region are currently working to conduct a burn out operation on Fort Good Hope's winter road, approximately 10 kilometres east of the community, in order to slow the progress of the blaze. Fifty-five firefighters and three helicopters, as well as community residents, are currently working on the fire.In the community, resources have been focused on firesmarting, with residents pruning dead wood and other potential fuel sources, and setting up sprinklers on and near property. A firesmarting workshop has been scheduled for Tuesday in Fort Good Hope.
Major airlines offering discounts on flights out of fire-stricken B.C. Interior-[CBC]-YAHOONEWS-July 10, 2017
Canada's two biggest airlines are offering discounts on flights out of the B.C. Interior due to the ongoing wildfires situation.Both WestJet and Air Canada unveiled the offers on Sunday after a series of wildfires broke out across the region, forcing thousands to flee their homes over the weekend.WestJet is offering a 50 percent discount on flights booked by July 19, for travel up to July 25 from Prince George to other Canadian locations.The airline is also waiving their fee for changes or cancellations for flights in and out of Prince George, booked on or before July 9, and travelling between July 9 and July 25.Air Canada is offering a 25 percent discount on flights between now and July 22 from Kamloops, Kelowna, Penticton, Prince George, and Williams Lake to any destination in North America.In addition, Air Canada says anyone flying to, from, or via the affected areas between now and July 22 can make changes free of charge.Free accommodations -Airbnb is also waiving fees for some hosts who are offering free accommodations between July 8 and July 31 for those affected by the B.C. wildfires.There are currently 21 listings for rooms or homes in various locations, including the Thompson-Nicola region, Central Okanagan and South Coast.In order for the fees to be waived, users must follow the rental steps and will be prompted by a message asking if the user has been displaced by British Columbia's wildfires.People who are interested in offering their home for free to people displaced by the fires, or volunteers and emergency workers can list their place on the home-sharing website.
Western wildfires feed on grass brought on by winter rain-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-July 11, 2017
OROVILLE, Calif. — Wildfires driving people from their homes in California and throughout the west have had help from an unlikely source: the rain. Major winter downpours that pulled the state out of years of drought also brought a layer of grass that early-summer fires are greedily feeding on."What the heavy rains have done is created a grass crop that we haven't seen in forever," said Santa Barbara County fire Capt. Dave Zaniboni, whose department was battling two large wildfires Monday. "That creates faster moving fires, hotter fires, it carries fire much more readily."Older, dried out trees and vegetation are especially dangerous for wildland blazes, but enough new and drying grass can provide links between such tinderboxes.Bennet Milloy of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection says that diseased and damaged trees and dead vegetation from during the drought "can be ignited by the lighter fuels that come from the wet winter," making for better-fed fires.Despite a hot and dry weekend, crews were making progress against dozens of fires across California, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico.In Northern California, evacuees were starting to return home from a wildfire in the grassy foothills of the Sierra Nevada, about 60 miles (97 kilometres ) north of Sacramento, but thousands still remained away from their homes.Chuck Wilsey returned to his ranch home in Oroville on Monday after evacuating over the weekend, relieved to learn it had been spared by the wildfire, just as he had stayed clear of troubles brought on by a damaged spillway at a nearby dam five months ago."I don't know what's worse — fire, or water — it's a toss-up," Wilsey, 53, said after returning to his home Monday afternoon.The blaze burned nearly 9 square miles (23 square kilometres ) of grass, injured four firefighters and destroyed at least 37 structures. Officials couldn't immediately say how many were homes. It was 45 per cent contained.The area burning is southeast of Oroville, near where 200,000 residents downstream from the 770-foot-high Oroville Dam were briefly evacuated in February when the structure's spillways began crumbling. Wilsey's home was far enough away that he didn't have to evacuate from the floods.His daughter, Krystle Chambers, who lives on the same property, said the one-two punch of floods and fires was taking its toll."It's hard, it's rough," she said. "Way too many hits. First it's this side of town, then the other side of town. It almost makes you want to move."Wilsey was already making new plans in case the fire makes another run at them. He said he was leaving his trailer attached to his truck and telling his daughters to keep prized possessions they couldn't take the first time close at hand.In Santa Barbara County, at least 3,500 people remained out of their homes due to a pair of fires. The larger of the two charred more than 45 square miles (116 square kilometres ) of dry brush and has burned 20 structures since it broke out. It was 45 per cent contained. To the south a 17-square-mile ( 44-square-kilometre ) wildfire is 25 per cent contained. Crews were getting a break from rising humidity and light winds.In Colorado, crews were winding down the fight against a wildfire that temporarily forced the evacuation of hundreds of people near the resort town of Breckenridge. Firefighters built containment lines around at least 85 per cent of the blaze.___Associated Press writer Christopher Weber contributed from Los Angeles.Don Thompson And Andrew Dalton, The Associated Press.
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)
Tomato'-sized hail pounds small town during severe thunderstorm-[CBC]-YAHOONEWS-July 10, 2017
Hail the size of tomatoes wreaked havoc during a severe thundershower Sunday night in Evansburg, west of Edmonton."We were all very shocked, we thought there was going to be a tornado," 12-year-old Payton Hicks said."I think it looked like white tomatoes," he said. "My greatest fear was that it was going to start breaking through the windows and fall on the floor."Payton was one of more than 40 kids at Camp Evansburg who charged to the windows when they heard what they thought was loud thunder. They were shocked to see the thunder was the massive hail hitting the camp hall.The storm didn't last long, but it left its mark on the campground. Ice covered the fields at Camp Evansburg long enough for the campers to go out and roll the balls of ice on the grass and compete in a stick knocking challenge."We even added some of the balls to the [pool] water to make it Antarctica," Hicks said. "It was awesome." It was less awesome for many of the adults at the camp who found their cars with billiard-ball-sized dents, and windshields ribboned with cracks.Camp staff agreed counsellor Paul Budinski's car took the worst of the storm."The back windshield is totally smashed through, and there's some dents on the top of the car and the windshield," he said.In town, Yellowhead County Coun. Sandra Cherniawsky drove around Sunday night speaking to residents, most of whom said their vehicles were damaged, she said."It could have been devastating, but it wasn't a very far-reaching storm," Cherniawsky said. "We got lucky this time."No crop damage has been reported so far, but the county is waiting to hear from farmers in the next few days, Cherniawsky said.
Troupe of monkeys vex Florida park, go viral on social media-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-July 11, 2017
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — There's an upswing in monkey business in and around a state park in Florida, where bands of non-native rhesus macaques live along a river that's popular with kayakers and tourists.Officials have closed two walking areas at Silver Springs State Park because of unwanted monkey interactions with park guests. An observation deck and a boardwalk are off-limits because the primates have essentially taken over.Park Manager Sally Lieb told the Ocala Star-Banner that the closed areas will be reopened only once "we've solved our issue, and our issue is that the monkeys have spent a lot of time in these areas."Researchers estimate anywhere between 150 and 200 wild rhesus macaques live at the park and an unknown number live outside.A video shot by a family showing seemingly aggressive monkeys on one of the park's boardwalks made the rounds recently on social media.Park rangers try to warn visitors not to feed the 20-pound, 2-foot tall mammals and are stepping up patrols in sections where there are high possibilities of monkey-human interaction.The monkeys were introduced to the area in the 1930s by a tour boat operator named Colonel Tooey. He thought it would be a good idea to release six macaques on a small island in the Silver River and call it Monkey Island to draw tourists."He thought they would stay on Monkey Island," said Eben Kirksey, a Florida native and a professor of environmental humanities at UNSW Sydney in Australia. "But they are good swimmers."Many generations of monkeying around ensued, aided by the relative lack of natural predators (other than alligators, which often eat young, naïve primates on the riverbanks). The monkeys thrived in the warm climate and the park at one time sold "monkey chow" so visitors could feed the primates.At one time in the 1980s, there were 400 of the animals in the park, prompting state officials to try to wrest control of the situation. Some of the females were sterilized. Previous attempts to cull the group drew strong opposition from locals — especially when some captured primates were sold to research labs."At least from a cultural perspective, the people who live in Ocala very much value their presence in the community," Kirksey said.But once again, state officials are considering options to control the primates — after all, viral videos of charging monkeys aren't the best publicity for the park.There have been 18 confirmed reports of bites and scratches from the animals since they arrived at the park. Experts say monkeys can carry and transmit Herpes B-virus, but there's no evidence that anyone has gotten sick from the Silver Springs monkeys."You definitely don't want to get near them. You don't want to antagonize them," said Steve Johnson, an associate professor of wildlife ecology at University of Florida who researches the monkeys.Johnson said there are four or five groups of monkeys in the park, and other groups are outside the park.Recently, a homeowner 4 miles (6 kilometres ) away captured photos of some 50 monkeys swarming his deer feeder. Brian Pritchard's automatic camera, anchored to a tree, was even inspected by one monkey, whose face practically fills a frame as others cavort in the background."Anybody who lives on our river, they always have the possibility of seeing the monkeys," said Pritchard, a 33-year-old taxidermist. "As long as you don't bother them, they don't bother you."___Follow Tamara Lush on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tamaralush-Tamara Lush, The Associated Press.
DANIEL 7:23-24
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast (EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TRADING BLOCKS-10 WORLD REGIONS/TRADE BLOCS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings(10 NATIONS-10 WORLD DIVISION WORLD GOVERNMENT) that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.(EITHER THE EUROPEAN UNION DICTATOR BOOTS 3 COUNTRIES FROM THE EU OR THE DICTATOR TAKES OVER THE WORLD ECONOMY BY CONTROLLING 3 WORLD TRADE BLOCS)
REVELATION 17:9-13
9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.(THE VATICAN IS BUILT ON 7 HILLS OR MOUNTAINS)
10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen,(1-ASSYRIA,2-EGYPT,3-BABYLON,4-MEDO-PERSIA,5-GREECE) and one is,(IN POWER IN JOHNS AND JESUS DAY-6-ROME) and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.(7TH-REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE OR THE EUROPEAN UNION TODAY AND THE SHORT SPACE IS-7 YEARS.THE EUROPEAN UNION WILL HAVE WORLD CONTROL FOR THE LAST 3 1/2 YEARS.BUT WILL HAVE ITS MIGHTY WORLD POWER FOR THE FULL 7 YEARS OF THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD.AND THE WORLD DICTATOR WILL BE THE BEAST FROM THE EU.AND THE VATICAN POPE WILL BE THE WHORE THAT RIDES THE EUROPEAN UNION TO POWER.AND THE 2 EUROPEAN UNION POWER FREAKS WILL CONTROL AND DECIEVE THE WHOLE EARTH INTO THEIR DESTRUCTION.IF YOU ARE NOT SAVED BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS.YOU WILL BE DECIEVED BY THESE TWO.THE WORLD POLITICIAN-THE EUROPEAN UNION DICTATOR.AND THE FALSE PROPHET THAT DEFECTS CHRISTIANITY-THE FALSE VATICAN POPE.
11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
Heres the scripture 1 week = 7 yrs Genesis 29:27-29
27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week:(7 YEARS) and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.
29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.
DANIEL 9:26-27
26 And after threescore and two weeks(62X7=434 YEARS+7X7=49 YEARS=TOTAL OF 69 WEEKS OR 483 YRS) shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary;(ROMAN LEADERS DESTROYED THE 2ND TEMPLE) and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.(THERE HAS TO BE 70 WEEKS OR 490 YRS TO FUFILL THE VISION AND PROPHECY OF DAN 9:24).(THE NEXT VERSE IS THAT 7 YR WEEK OR (70TH FINAL WEEK).
27 And he ( THE ROMAN,EU PRESIDENT) shall confirm the covenant (PEACE TREATY) with many for one week:(1X7=7 YEARS) and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,(3 1/2 yrs in TEMPLE ANIMAL SACRIFICES STOPPED) and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
Pope Francis adds new pathway to sainthood-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-July 11, 2017
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis has added a fourth pathway to possible sainthood.Until now, gaining consideration for sainthood in the Catholic Church required martyrdom, living a life of heroic values or — less frequently invoked — having a clear saintly reputation.The Vatican announced Tuesday that the pope has issued a new law outlining a new route: people who lived a good Catholic life and who freely accepted a certain and premature death for the good of others.While John Paul II streamlined the canonization process, L'Osservatore Romano noted that the norms for beatification have been in place for centuries.Under the new category, a miracle must be attributed to the candidate's intercession prior to beatification, the first step toward canonization as a saint. Martyrdom, which stipulates being killed out of hatred for the faith, does not require a miracle.The Associated Press.
Labour: UK should stay in Euratom nuclear body-By EUOBSERVER-JULY 11,17
Today, 09:02-Labour's shadow Brexit minister, Keir Starmer, has urged the UK government to keep Britain in the Euratom treaty that governs the movement of nuclear materials, and argued for the European Court of Justice to continue having its say. Labour wants to work with rebelling Tory MPs in a vote later this year to stop Britain's exit from Euratom. "Brexatom" could impact the supply of radioactive isotopes used in cancer treatment.
Column / Brussels Bytes-EU could drive global innovation in Earth observation data By Nick Wallace-JULY 11,17-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 17:03-Copernicus – a joint project between the EU and the European Space Agency (ESA) that uses satellites and ground sensors to monitor the environment – is the world's largest civil Earth observation programme, producing over 8 petabytes per year.Earth observation data has many important uses, such as tracking deforestation and rising sea levels, helping farmers and fisheries to operate sustainably, and monitoring humanitarian crises.But Copernicus is not the world’s only supplier, and if the EU and others agreed to provide standardised Earth observation data through a shared and trusted platform, that platform could support additional innovative uses of data in science, business, and policy-making, on a greater scale than any lone data supplier.Unfortunately, inadequate implementation of common data standards and reuse policies across different Earth observation programmes currently makes it difficult to reuse combined data.One attempt to resolve this is the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), run by the Group on Earth Observations (GEO), an intergovernmental organisation with over 100 member countries – including the EU’s 28.GEOSS provides a single portal for various sources of independently-supplied Earth observation data, along with common standards for incorporating them via the GEOSS Common Infrastructure (GCI).-No common standards-Despite the broad membership of GEOSS, it still faces the challenge of pushing for its standards to be widely adopted. There is no binding international agreement that commits the world’s Earth observation programmes to common standards.If the world could move from merely having disparate suppliers of Earth observation data to sharing a common platform for them, it would be easier to incorporate data from different sources into important research.It could range from tracking the effects of climate change to planning for global food security, and to use algorithmic techniques, such as text and data mining, to derive insights from huge and diverse data sets. This would help scientists to learn more about the Earth’s climate and its resources.A shared platform for the world’s Earth observation data would enhance the abilities of governments that lack their own Earth observation technologies to monitor local environmental threats.For example, the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) & Africa initiative uses Copernicus data to help African nations plan infrastructural development, manage their natural resources, and monitor the effects of climate change, natural disasters, and war.An international agreement on Earth observation data standards and reuse policies would also support economic innovation globally.Copernicus data already has various commercial uses, such as helping farmers to manage land and crops more effectively, as well as identifying optimal locations for fisheries that are environmentally sustainable.A larger, multilateral supply of interoperable data would enhance global capacity for this kind of data-driven innovation by broadening the amount of data businesses can work with at once.The EU, alongside the ESA, should take the lead in forging an international agreement on the implementation of common standards and reuse policies for Earth observation data.-Driving innovationThe Copernicus programme itself already drives innovation by making its data freely available, including for commercial reuse. And the Copernicus B2B challenge offers cash prizes for participants with the best commercial applications of Copernicus data, such as helping insurance companies to predict losses.If the EU wants to remain at the forefront of the production and use of Earth observation data, it should work with others to show that when many countries integrate data from their disparate sources, everyone is made better off.The EU already has cooperation agreements on Copernicus data with the United States and Australia. These agreements help those countries to address local needs with data, such as detecting oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico.They also bring together leading experts to collaborate on developing uses of Earth observation data that have common benefits, such opening up new markets for data-driven products and services in industries such as agriculture, fisheries, and mining.Agreements like these demonstrate the benefits to the global environment and economy when different countries share data and expertise.Similar bilateral cooperation with other countries running Earth observation satellites, such as India and Japan, could help build momentum for a multilateral agreement on interoperable data sharing.Furthermore, the EU-backed Research Data Alliance publishes guidelines on data standards and reuse policies, which, in addition to GEOSS standards, could further contribute to an agreement on interoperable data feeds that third parties can compare, combine, and freely reuse.Earth observation data is an important driver of innovation in environmental policy, urban development, scientific research, as well as in industry and business.Copernicus alone is a towering achievement, but stronger political commitment to GEOSS, with binding agreements, would make it easier for scientists, governments, and businesses to make the most of the data provided by the world’s Earth observation platforms.The EU should move swiftly to make this happen.Nick Wallace is a Brussels-based senior policy analyst at the Center for Data Innovation. His Brussels Bytes column deals with the digital single market and data-related policy issues in the European Union.
Eurozone ministers look at 'lessons' to save banks By Eric Maurice-JULY 11,17-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 09:11-Eurozone finance ministers endorsed Italy's rescue of some of its banks on Monday (10 July), but said that European rules on banking resolution should be strengthened.Last month, the Italian government decided to provide up to €17 billion to save Banca Popolare di Vicenza (BPVI) and Veneto Banca, which were at risk of failing due to massive debts.The plan came as the government is also trying to save the fourth largest bank in the country, Monte dei Paschi di Siena, with a €6.6-billion state contribution."They took the decision within all the legal frameworks and there's no question about that as far as the ministers are concerned," Eurogroup president Jeroen Dijsselbloem said after a meeting in Brussels.EU finance commissioner Pierre Moscovici noted that the "decisions taken have put an end to uncertainties weighing down on the banking sector" and that they have "removed about 13 percent of non-productive loans in the Italian banking sector".Non-productive loans (NPL) are loans that borrowers don't reimburse or pay interest on. Since the financial crisis they have been a major factor in bank debts.An EU source noted that some ministers, especially the Austrian one, "didn't like the solution" provided by the Italian government, but they agreed to it because "they know it would have been worse for taxpayers"."A number of banks are in trouble, a number of retail customers were at risk of becoming part of the solution and a lot of public money had to be spent to sort it all out. There were huge problems," Dijsselbloem said."We need to make sure these problems don't occur anymore in the future. If they do occur, we want to be as effective as possible."`The Eurogroup president insisted on "the importance of dealing with very big differences between national insolvency frameworks," a position that is shared by the German finance minister, Wolfgang Schaeuble.Dijsselbloem said that it is "important to make sure that all banks have a capacity to carry their own losses".He added that it is also important to get "a very clear creditor hierarchy in the eurozone area," in order to know who pays first when banks have to be rescued.Other issues that will have to be addressed are the protection of retail investors and how to have "sound asset evaluation in the process of dealing with banks to allow also outside investors to participate.""There is still work to do and lessons to be learnt," Dijsselbloem said.Ministers also discussed how to reduce the risk of NPLs for banks and customers.Dijsselbloem said that the idea of "one big bad bank for the eurozone or for each country," in which bad loans would be transferred to relieve banks "is not going to work".He said that a "much better way to move forward" is trying to create a market for NPLs, where different types of assets would be taken into account.
Opinion-Who to blame when you can't blame Brussels? By Daniel Freund-JULY 11,17-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 09:02-Blaming Brussels is one of the easiest techniques for any politician to make an excuse to their national electorate.Don’t want to spend additional money on social housing? Blame it on strict deficit rules set in Brussels. A company is complaining about a specific regulation? Not their fault, it was "imposed" by Brussels.But who do you blame when you cannot blame Brussels because you ‘are’ Brussels? The current negotiations for a mandatory EU lobbying register provide an interesting answer to that question.Let’s have a quick look at what these negotiations entail.For years, citizens have asked for more transparency and better rules around lobbying in Brussels. Millions of citizens have protested, petitioned or otherwise voiced their concerns over the lack of transparency and the hidden influence of corporate lobbyists in Brussels.Rightly or wrongly, it has played an important role in almost any major debate, be it on TTIP, Brexit or ongoing attacks by eurosceptics. Lobbyists themselves strongly support stricter rules and more transparency.In this context, the European Commission proposed a "mandatory lobbying register" almost one year ago.-A quick fix-Fearing that a legislative proposal would not find the necessary majorities, the EU commission suggested a quick fix based on an agreement between the three decision-making institutions: the European Parliament, Council of the EU, where member states sit, and the commission.The mechanism to make the register mandatory was that the institutions would agree to refuse access to lobbyists that are not willing to register.Indeed, the EU commission of current president Jean-Claude Juncker made an important step in that direction in 2014 by introducing rules for the commissioners and their closest advisers.The basic idea now was to extend this rule of “no registration, no meeting” and the publication of those meetings by the commission to the council and parliament. The council has so far abstained even from the voluntary register.Parliament has traditionally been the strongest supporter of a mandatory register. But both institutions, the council and parliament, have been discussing their position on the proposal and things are not looking too promising.The council knows that some progress is necessary and that it needs to be more transparent. When it comes to the details, however, its reservations persist.The main lobby targets in the council are the representations of member states, governments back in the capitals across Europe, and the 6-month rotating presidency, in particular.The new rules covering anything beyond the council secretariat, which is probably the least lobbied part of the EU institutions, does not seem to find support. Many point to the fact that everything beyond the secretariat falls under national competence and would have to be done by member states.The EU parliament is ambitious in asking for more transparency of the other institutions.Applying the “no registration, no meeting” rule to MEPs, however, seems to pose problems as the chief negotiators outlined in an op-ed for EUobserver.In December last year a majority of MEPs voted to introduce the mandatory publication of lobby meetings for all MEPs.Unfortunately, however, the majority was not strong enough to change the parliament’s internal rules. Now its legal service has issued an opinion which indicates that both preventing meetings with unregistered lobbyists, or making publication of meetings mandatory, would be in violation of the MEPs' so-called "free mandate".-Bring in the lawyers-So, when citizens strongly support lobbying transparency, when Brussels lobbyists are all in favour of a better register, but your EU institution does not seem to want to create the dearly-needed mandatory EU lobby register, who do you blame? The lawyers.The legal services of the EU parliament and council have come up with "national competence" and "free mandate" excuses, which prevent any meaningful progress.Parliament’s legal analysis conveniently finds that such transparency rules should indeed apply to assistants, political advisers and civil servants, but not the main target of lobbying: the MEPs themselves.In their view, it might somehow hinder them from exercising their mandate freely.But doubts have already been cast on the legal reasoning of the institutions. If these assessments are maintained, and both MEPs and most of the council exclude themselves from any lobby transparency rules, the commission’s plan for a ‘quick fix’ will have failed.In both cases – national politicians blaming Brussels and Brussels politicians blaming legal challenges – what is really is at hand is a lack of political will and leadership.We have seen many examples over the last years where even contradicting treaty rules did not prevent or slow down decisions that had full political backing, be it the “no bailout clause” or the setting up of an entire crisis-response institutional structure outside the EU treaties.The mandatory lobbying register was the main proposal of the Juncker commission to make the EU more democratic, more accountable and more transparent. This important project must not fail.Rather than deploying lawyers to find obstacles, we need politicians to lead the way to more lobbying transparency. Under their guidance, lawyers will find a way to word the new regime in a way that will not contradict existing rules.Daniel Freund is the Head of Advocacy for EU Integrity at Transparency International EU
Ukraine keen to begin Nato entry process By Andrew Rettman-JULY 11,17-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 09:27-Ukraine is keen to start its Nato application process despite Russia’s ongoing aggression in the east of the country.“Today it has been emphasised that we should start a discussion about establishing a membership action plan [MAP] and our proposals … were accepted with understanding”, Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko told press after meeting Nato head Jens Stoltenberg in Kiev on Monday (10 July).“We have a clear-cut time table as to what we have to do by the year 2020 in order to meet the membership criteria,” he added.He said recent polls showed more than 60 percent of Ukrainians wanted to join the Western alliance.Stoltenberg said Russia would not be able to stop Ukraine’s membership.“Whether Ukraine is going to become a member of Nato or not is for the allies and Ukraine to decide, no one else has the right to try to veto such a process”, he said.“Ukraine is moving steadily towards meeting Nato standards,” he added.He noted that €40 million of Nato money was helping Ukraine to buy high-end satellite surveillance and cyber-defence equipment.A Nato office in Kiev is also advising Ukraine on military and intelligence reforms.Piers Cazalet, a Nato spokesman, said in Kiev on Tuesday that Stoltenberg “took note” of Poroshenko’s MAP request.He said the current “priority” was “the modernisation of its defence and security institutions”, however.A Nato MAP, in which aspirant states submit annual reports on military and political assimilation, is the first step toward accession.It does not guarantee future membership and it has no set duration, but in the latest case - Montenegro - the Balkan state began its MAP in 2009 and joined Nato this year.-Russian troops-Stoltenberg also said in Kiev that: “Russia must withdraw its thousands of soldiers from [east] Ukraine and stop supporting the militants [there], with command and control, and military equipment”.He added that “it is extremely important to maintain the sanctions as long as Russia doesn’t change its behaviour in eastern Ukraine and Crimea”, referring to EU and US economic sanctions.Poroshenko called for the “withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian soil, withdrawal of Russian artillery, tank, and multi-rocket launch systems back to Russia”.The Kremlin responded the same day by saying Ukraine’s Nato membership would “not help strengthen stability and security in Europe”.Dmitry Peskov, its spokesman, added: “Russia has never had and has no servicemen in Ukraine”.There is a wealth of photographic evidence and eyewitness testimony to the contrary, however.There are also high-level statements that contradict the official line.Sergei Larvov, the Russian foreign minister, told a seminar in Moscow on 30 June: “I have read and heard much criticism that we should not have got involved into the conflicts in Donbass [a region in east Ukraine]”.Russian president Vladimir Putin said on TV in June 2015: “We never said there were not people there [east Ukraine] who carried out certain tasks including in the military sphere”.The Ukrainian parliament said in June by 276 out of 450 votes that Ukraine should join Nato.A poll in June by the Democratic Initiatives Foundation, a Ukrainian NGO, showed that 69 percent of people wanted to join the Western military bloc.The surge in Nato support came after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014. The invasion followed an anti-corruption revolution in Kiev that ousted its pro-Kremlin regime.-EU summit-Poroshenko will go to Brussels on Wednesday to meet top EU officials.The summit will discuss progress on an EU-Ukraine political and trade pact which enters into force in September.US secretary of state Rex Tillerson also visited Kiev on Sunday.He said “it is necessary for Russia to take the first steps to de-escalate the situation in the eastern part of Ukraine” before the US would consider relaxing sanctions.The EU recently extended its economic sanctions until January next year.The US senate voted to expand sanctions, including against Western investors in Russian gas projects such as Nord Stream 2, a pipeline to Germany.“We see an open sabotage of infrastructure projects … that are economically well founded and attractive for consumers, like for instance Nord Stream 2,” Russian energy minister Aleksandr Novak said at a congress in Istanbul on Monday.
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
OH BY THE WAY WHEN THE MEDIA SAYS ALLU-AK-BAR MEANS GOD IS GREAT LIE. IN ISLAM ALLU-AK-BAR MEANS OUR GOD IS GREATER OR GREATEST. THIS IS HOW THE MEDIA SUCK HOLES UP TO ISLAMIC-QURANIC-MUSLIMS. BY WATERING DOWN THE REAL MEANING OF THE SEX FOR MURDER DEATH CULT ISLAM. TO MAKE IT SOUND LIKE A PEACEFUL RELIGION (CULT OF DEATH AND WORLD DOMINATION).
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)
The Latest: Kuwait 'extremely concerned' about Gulf crisis-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-July 11, 2017
DOHA, Qatar — The Latest on the diplomatic crisis between Qatar and its Arab neighbours (all times local):7:45 p.m.The Kuwaiti emir who is mediating the dispute between Qatar and four Arab states says he is "extremely concerned" about the crisis.Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Sabah was quoted Tuesday by the official Kuwait News Agency, which said he expressed "bitterness" over what he called "unprecedented developments" related to the crisis.He says only the countries involved can solve the dispute, which pits Qatar against Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt.The emir is a seasoned diplomat who served as minister of foreign affairs to Kuwait during some of the region's most troubling feuds, including the Gulf War in the 1990s and the Iraq War in 2003.___5 p.m.A Qatari envoy says the energy-rich nation will continue development projects in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, despite a rift with its Gulf neighbours stemming in part from its ties with the Islamic militant group.Mohammed El-Amadi spoke Tuesday as he signed a new agreement with a Palestinian contractor to build eight residential buildings.Qatar has been the largest single donor to Gaza over the past five years, disbursing about a half billion dollars for housing, reconstruction, infrastructure development, and health projects.Saudi Arabia and its allies have pressed Qatar to end its support to the pan-Arab Muslim Brotherhood movement, the historical parent of the militant Hamas group.Hamas seized control of Gaza from forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in 2007.___4:45 p.m.The United States and Qatar have signed an agreement aimed at shoring up the Gulf nation's counterterrorism efforts.The memorandum of understanding was signed Tuesday during a visit to the energy-rich country by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.He is in the Gulf on a mission aimed at ending a rift between Qatar and four Arab states that accuse it of supporting extremists. Qatar denies the allegation.Senior Tillerson adviser R.C. Hammond says the deal outlines "future efforts Qatar can take to fortify its fight against terrorism and actively address terrorism funding issues."___11 a.m.U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has departed for Qatar as he tries to mediate a dispute between the energy-rich country and a quartet of Arab nations.Tillerson left Kuwait City and was due to arrive in the Qatari capital, Doha, before noon on Tuesday.He has held talks Kuwait's ruling emir, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Sabah, after arriving in Kuwait on Monday.Sheikh Sabah has been acting as a mediator between Qatar and four states lined up against it: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.The quartet broke off relations and cut air, sea and land routes to Qatar in early June. They accuse it of supporting extremist groups — something Qatar denies — and meddling in their affairs.The Associated Press.
No big change seen to U.S. troop levels in Iraq after Mosul victory-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-July 11, 2017
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top U.S. general in Iraq said on Tuesday he did not see any major change to the numbers of American forces in Iraq after the recapture of the Iraqi city of Mosul from Islamic State, saying the campaign would continue to other towns held by the group."This fight is far from over. So I wouldn't expect to see any significant change in our troop levels in the immediate future because there's still hard work to be done by the Iraqis and the coalition," Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend told a news briefing.(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by James Dalgleish)
Electronics ban on Egypt-U.S. flights to be lifted next week: sources-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-July 11, 2017
CAIRO (Reuters) - A three-month-old ban on taking electronic devices such as laptops into aircraft cabins on flights from Egypt to the United States will be lifted next week, sources at Cairo International Airport told Reuters on Tuesday.On March 25, the United States banned electronic devices larger than a mobile phone from cabins on direct flights to the United States from 10 airports in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey."The relevant U.S. authorities have decided to lift the ban imposed since last March on passengers taking electronic devices aboard aircraft cabins from Cairo airport on EgyptAir [EGY.UL] flights headed to New York in the next week," one source said.A delegation from the U.S. Transportation Security Administration will carry out an inspection of measures employed to secure passengers and cargo on EgyptAir's flight to New York, the only U.S.-bound flight out of Egypt, as part of routine TSA inspections, the sources said.The ban was imposed at 10 airports in Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Turkey to address fears that bombs could be concealed in electronic devices.(Writing by Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Eric Knecht and Janet Lawrence)
Germany's Gabriel attacks Merkel after violence at the G20-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-July 11, 2017
BERLIN (Reuters) - German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel made an unusually strong attack on Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday as politicians blamed each other for the violent protests that overshadowed the G20 summit in Hamburg at the weekend.The comments come as tension mounts in Germany's ruling coalition between Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) and Gabriel's Social Democrats (SPD) just over two months before a national election on Sept. 24.Some commentators have criticized Merkel's choice of her birthplace, Hamburg, a seaport with a strong radical leftist tradition, to host the meeting. They say her desire to show her commitment to freedom of speech had backfired.On Monday, members of Merkel's conservatives sought to turn the blame back onto Germany's left-wing parties. Some suggested that Hamburg's SPD mayor, Olaf Scholz, should resign for failing to stem the violence."Olaf Scholz is not responsible for the staging of this summit," Gabriel told the Funke newspaper group in an interview for publication on Wednesday. "Whoever wants his resignation ... must also demand the resignation of Angela Merkel."She carries the political responsibility for the staging and direction of the G20 summit in Hamburg, which had a secret goal: the self-promotion of the CDU leader shortly before the election," he added.Gabriel's comments drew a sharp rebuke from Andreas Scheuer, general secretary of the Christian Social Union, sister party to the CDU."Gabriel has blown a fuse," he told the newspaper Bild. "It is a loutish blow below the belt from a Gabriel in election campaign mode who has lost his wits."About 20,000 police struggled to contain several hundred demonstrators who torched cars, looted shops and hurled Molotov cocktails and stones during the July 7-8 summit. Almost 500 officers were injured.In a poll published earlier on Tuesday and conducted before the G20, Merkel's CDU was leading at 39 percent, with the SPD down a point to 22 percent.Gabriel said the G20 summit had been a "total failure" with respect to the big topics affecting humanity - war, civil war, flight, hunger and poverty."But unfortunately today we have to be satisfied if the 20 heads of state of the rich countries can just meet and it doesn't get even worse. So much for a success," he said.(Reporting by Emma Thomasson, editing by Larry King)
Saudi Arabia executes four people convicted of terrorism in Qatif-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-July 11, 2017
DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia executed four people convinced of terrorism in Qatif in the eastern part of the kingdom, state television said on Tuesday quoting a statement by the Interior Ministry.The oil producing region is where many of the country's Shi'ite Muslim minority live.(Reporting by Maha El Dahan and Sami Aboudi; Editing by Alison Williams)
ISAIAH 30:26-27
26 Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold,(7X OR 7-DEGREES HOTTER) as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people,(ISRAEL) and healeth the stroke of their wound.
27 Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire:
MATTHEW 24:21-22,29
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened,(DAY LIGHT HOURS SHORTENED) there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake (ISRAELS SAKE) those days shall be shortened (Daylight hours shortened)(THE ASTEROID HITS EARTH HERE)
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
REVELATION 16:7-9
7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
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.
B.C. wildfire situation 'still deteriorating,' official says-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-July 11, 2017
KAMLOOPS, B.C. — The head of emergency management in British Columbia says the province's wildfire situation will remain challenging for several weeks.More than 200 fires burned across the province yesterday, but Bob Turner of Emergency Management BC says the situation is still deteriorating.He says about 14,000 people have been evacuated and the government's priority is keeping residents safe.The Cariboo Regional District expanded an evacuation order last night to cover the Alexis Creek and West Fraser areas in addition to the Kleena Kleene region.An evacuation alert — which puts residents on notice that they might be told to leave with little warning — was issued for the more than 10,000 residents of Williams Lake late last night. Municipal officials warned that wind and lightning forecast for tomorrow could push fires towards the city at a "rapid pace."The Thompson-Nicola Regional District added more areas to its evacuation alert in the Cache Creek area, saying a "rapidly moving wildfire" continues to pose an "imminent threat. The expanded alert includes 57 addressed in three electoral districts.Kevin Skrepnek, chief information officer with the BC Wildfire Service, says gusty winds and hot, dry conditions are expected to persist throughout the province over the next several days, meaning fire crews will not get a reprieve from the weather.The fires, which have scorched about 400 square kilometres of land, are being fought by some 1,000 B.C. firefighters, with about 300 colleagues and support staff arriving from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and New Brunswick.
State of emergency continues as fire near Fort Good Hope, N.W.T. grows to over 8,000 hectares-[CBC]-YAHOONEWS-July 10, 2017
A wildfire burning near Fort Good Hope, N.W.T. has increased in size to over 8,000 hectares and is moving closer to the community, though an evacuation order has not yet been issued.The fire, burning east of Fort Good Hope, has moved within 25 kilometres of the community, according to Frank Lepine, the director of forest management for the territory's Department of Environment and Natural Resources. It's grown to over 8,000 hectares in size, doubling in size on Sunday.In a media briefing, Lepine said that by the end of the day Monday, it's expected to have doubled in size again.Emergency plans are in place for an evacuation should the fire come closer to the community, according to Amy Kennedy, the manager of policy and planning for the territory's Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. The communities of Inuvik and Norman Wells are prepared to take people in by air should such a situation arise.According to Kennedy, children and elders would be evacuated first, followed by other residents.Fort Good Hope has a population of 516 people, according to the 2016 Census.Crews working on winter road to create fire break-The fire began July 3 after a lightning strike, prompting a state of emergency to be issued for Fort Good Hope Saturday. It's one of several currently burning in the Sahtu region of the Northwest Territories. Smoke from the fire is reaching as far as Norman Wells and Inuvik.Lepine said Monday that the fire won't be "actioned" — or fought directly with an attempt to extinguish the blaze — due to concerns about safety, as well as tieing up the territory's firefighting resources for the entire summer.Instead, fire crews in the region are currently working to conduct a burn out operation on Fort Good Hope's winter road, approximately 10 kilometres east of the community, in order to slow the progress of the blaze. Fifty-five firefighters and three helicopters, as well as community residents, are currently working on the fire.In the community, resources have been focused on firesmarting, with residents pruning dead wood and other potential fuel sources, and setting up sprinklers on and near property. A firesmarting workshop has been scheduled for Tuesday in Fort Good Hope.
Major airlines offering discounts on flights out of fire-stricken B.C. Interior-[CBC]-YAHOONEWS-July 10, 2017
Canada's two biggest airlines are offering discounts on flights out of the B.C. Interior due to the ongoing wildfires situation.Both WestJet and Air Canada unveiled the offers on Sunday after a series of wildfires broke out across the region, forcing thousands to flee their homes over the weekend.WestJet is offering a 50 percent discount on flights booked by July 19, for travel up to July 25 from Prince George to other Canadian locations.The airline is also waiving their fee for changes or cancellations for flights in and out of Prince George, booked on or before July 9, and travelling between July 9 and July 25.Air Canada is offering a 25 percent discount on flights between now and July 22 from Kamloops, Kelowna, Penticton, Prince George, and Williams Lake to any destination in North America.In addition, Air Canada says anyone flying to, from, or via the affected areas between now and July 22 can make changes free of charge.Free accommodations -Airbnb is also waiving fees for some hosts who are offering free accommodations between July 8 and July 31 for those affected by the B.C. wildfires.There are currently 21 listings for rooms or homes in various locations, including the Thompson-Nicola region, Central Okanagan and South Coast.In order for the fees to be waived, users must follow the rental steps and will be prompted by a message asking if the user has been displaced by British Columbia's wildfires.People who are interested in offering their home for free to people displaced by the fires, or volunteers and emergency workers can list their place on the home-sharing website.
Western wildfires feed on grass brought on by winter rain-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-July 11, 2017
OROVILLE, Calif. — Wildfires driving people from their homes in California and throughout the west have had help from an unlikely source: the rain. Major winter downpours that pulled the state out of years of drought also brought a layer of grass that early-summer fires are greedily feeding on."What the heavy rains have done is created a grass crop that we haven't seen in forever," said Santa Barbara County fire Capt. Dave Zaniboni, whose department was battling two large wildfires Monday. "That creates faster moving fires, hotter fires, it carries fire much more readily."Older, dried out trees and vegetation are especially dangerous for wildland blazes, but enough new and drying grass can provide links between such tinderboxes.Bennet Milloy of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection says that diseased and damaged trees and dead vegetation from during the drought "can be ignited by the lighter fuels that come from the wet winter," making for better-fed fires.Despite a hot and dry weekend, crews were making progress against dozens of fires across California, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico.In Northern California, evacuees were starting to return home from a wildfire in the grassy foothills of the Sierra Nevada, about 60 miles (97 kilometres ) north of Sacramento, but thousands still remained away from their homes.Chuck Wilsey returned to his ranch home in Oroville on Monday after evacuating over the weekend, relieved to learn it had been spared by the wildfire, just as he had stayed clear of troubles brought on by a damaged spillway at a nearby dam five months ago."I don't know what's worse — fire, or water — it's a toss-up," Wilsey, 53, said after returning to his home Monday afternoon.The blaze burned nearly 9 square miles (23 square kilometres ) of grass, injured four firefighters and destroyed at least 37 structures. Officials couldn't immediately say how many were homes. It was 45 per cent contained.The area burning is southeast of Oroville, near where 200,000 residents downstream from the 770-foot-high Oroville Dam were briefly evacuated in February when the structure's spillways began crumbling. Wilsey's home was far enough away that he didn't have to evacuate from the floods.His daughter, Krystle Chambers, who lives on the same property, said the one-two punch of floods and fires was taking its toll."It's hard, it's rough," she said. "Way too many hits. First it's this side of town, then the other side of town. It almost makes you want to move."Wilsey was already making new plans in case the fire makes another run at them. He said he was leaving his trailer attached to his truck and telling his daughters to keep prized possessions they couldn't take the first time close at hand.In Santa Barbara County, at least 3,500 people remained out of their homes due to a pair of fires. The larger of the two charred more than 45 square miles (116 square kilometres ) of dry brush and has burned 20 structures since it broke out. It was 45 per cent contained. To the south a 17-square-mile ( 44-square-kilometre ) wildfire is 25 per cent contained. Crews were getting a break from rising humidity and light winds.In Colorado, crews were winding down the fight against a wildfire that temporarily forced the evacuation of hundreds of people near the resort town of Breckenridge. Firefighters built containment lines around at least 85 per cent of the blaze.___Associated Press writer Christopher Weber contributed from Los Angeles.Don Thompson And Andrew Dalton, The Associated Press.
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)
Tomato'-sized hail pounds small town during severe thunderstorm-[CBC]-YAHOONEWS-July 10, 2017
Hail the size of tomatoes wreaked havoc during a severe thundershower Sunday night in Evansburg, west of Edmonton."We were all very shocked, we thought there was going to be a tornado," 12-year-old Payton Hicks said."I think it looked like white tomatoes," he said. "My greatest fear was that it was going to start breaking through the windows and fall on the floor."Payton was one of more than 40 kids at Camp Evansburg who charged to the windows when they heard what they thought was loud thunder. They were shocked to see the thunder was the massive hail hitting the camp hall.The storm didn't last long, but it left its mark on the campground. Ice covered the fields at Camp Evansburg long enough for the campers to go out and roll the balls of ice on the grass and compete in a stick knocking challenge."We even added some of the balls to the [pool] water to make it Antarctica," Hicks said. "It was awesome." It was less awesome for many of the adults at the camp who found their cars with billiard-ball-sized dents, and windshields ribboned with cracks.Camp staff agreed counsellor Paul Budinski's car took the worst of the storm."The back windshield is totally smashed through, and there's some dents on the top of the car and the windshield," he said.In town, Yellowhead County Coun. Sandra Cherniawsky drove around Sunday night speaking to residents, most of whom said their vehicles were damaged, she said."It could have been devastating, but it wasn't a very far-reaching storm," Cherniawsky said. "We got lucky this time."No crop damage has been reported so far, but the county is waiting to hear from farmers in the next few days, Cherniawsky said.
Troupe of monkeys vex Florida park, go viral on social media-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-July 11, 2017
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — There's an upswing in monkey business in and around a state park in Florida, where bands of non-native rhesus macaques live along a river that's popular with kayakers and tourists.Officials have closed two walking areas at Silver Springs State Park because of unwanted monkey interactions with park guests. An observation deck and a boardwalk are off-limits because the primates have essentially taken over.Park Manager Sally Lieb told the Ocala Star-Banner that the closed areas will be reopened only once "we've solved our issue, and our issue is that the monkeys have spent a lot of time in these areas."Researchers estimate anywhere between 150 and 200 wild rhesus macaques live at the park and an unknown number live outside.A video shot by a family showing seemingly aggressive monkeys on one of the park's boardwalks made the rounds recently on social media.Park rangers try to warn visitors not to feed the 20-pound, 2-foot tall mammals and are stepping up patrols in sections where there are high possibilities of monkey-human interaction.The monkeys were introduced to the area in the 1930s by a tour boat operator named Colonel Tooey. He thought it would be a good idea to release six macaques on a small island in the Silver River and call it Monkey Island to draw tourists."He thought they would stay on Monkey Island," said Eben Kirksey, a Florida native and a professor of environmental humanities at UNSW Sydney in Australia. "But they are good swimmers."Many generations of monkeying around ensued, aided by the relative lack of natural predators (other than alligators, which often eat young, naïve primates on the riverbanks). The monkeys thrived in the warm climate and the park at one time sold "monkey chow" so visitors could feed the primates.At one time in the 1980s, there were 400 of the animals in the park, prompting state officials to try to wrest control of the situation. Some of the females were sterilized. Previous attempts to cull the group drew strong opposition from locals — especially when some captured primates were sold to research labs."At least from a cultural perspective, the people who live in Ocala very much value their presence in the community," Kirksey said.But once again, state officials are considering options to control the primates — after all, viral videos of charging monkeys aren't the best publicity for the park.There have been 18 confirmed reports of bites and scratches from the animals since they arrived at the park. Experts say monkeys can carry and transmit Herpes B-virus, but there's no evidence that anyone has gotten sick from the Silver Springs monkeys."You definitely don't want to get near them. You don't want to antagonize them," said Steve Johnson, an associate professor of wildlife ecology at University of Florida who researches the monkeys.Johnson said there are four or five groups of monkeys in the park, and other groups are outside the park.Recently, a homeowner 4 miles (6 kilometres ) away captured photos of some 50 monkeys swarming his deer feeder. Brian Pritchard's automatic camera, anchored to a tree, was even inspected by one monkey, whose face practically fills a frame as others cavort in the background."Anybody who lives on our river, they always have the possibility of seeing the monkeys," said Pritchard, a 33-year-old taxidermist. "As long as you don't bother them, they don't bother you."___Follow Tamara Lush on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tamaralush-Tamara Lush, The Associated Press.
DANIEL 7:23-24
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast (EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TRADING BLOCKS-10 WORLD REGIONS/TRADE BLOCS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings(10 NATIONS-10 WORLD DIVISION WORLD GOVERNMENT) that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.(EITHER THE EUROPEAN UNION DICTATOR BOOTS 3 COUNTRIES FROM THE EU OR THE DICTATOR TAKES OVER THE WORLD ECONOMY BY CONTROLLING 3 WORLD TRADE BLOCS)
REVELATION 17:9-13
9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.(THE VATICAN IS BUILT ON 7 HILLS OR MOUNTAINS)
10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen,(1-ASSYRIA,2-EGYPT,3-BABYLON,4-MEDO-PERSIA,5-GREECE) and one is,(IN POWER IN JOHNS AND JESUS DAY-6-ROME) and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.(7TH-REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE OR THE EUROPEAN UNION TODAY AND THE SHORT SPACE IS-7 YEARS.THE EUROPEAN UNION WILL HAVE WORLD CONTROL FOR THE LAST 3 1/2 YEARS.BUT WILL HAVE ITS MIGHTY WORLD POWER FOR THE FULL 7 YEARS OF THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD.AND THE WORLD DICTATOR WILL BE THE BEAST FROM THE EU.AND THE VATICAN POPE WILL BE THE WHORE THAT RIDES THE EUROPEAN UNION TO POWER.AND THE 2 EUROPEAN UNION POWER FREAKS WILL CONTROL AND DECIEVE THE WHOLE EARTH INTO THEIR DESTRUCTION.IF YOU ARE NOT SAVED BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS.YOU WILL BE DECIEVED BY THESE TWO.THE WORLD POLITICIAN-THE EUROPEAN UNION DICTATOR.AND THE FALSE PROPHET THAT DEFECTS CHRISTIANITY-THE FALSE VATICAN POPE.
11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
Heres the scripture 1 week = 7 yrs Genesis 29:27-29
27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week:(7 YEARS) and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.
29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.
DANIEL 9:26-27
26 And after threescore and two weeks(62X7=434 YEARS+7X7=49 YEARS=TOTAL OF 69 WEEKS OR 483 YRS) shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary;(ROMAN LEADERS DESTROYED THE 2ND TEMPLE) and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.(THERE HAS TO BE 70 WEEKS OR 490 YRS TO FUFILL THE VISION AND PROPHECY OF DAN 9:24).(THE NEXT VERSE IS THAT 7 YR WEEK OR (70TH FINAL WEEK).
27 And he ( THE ROMAN,EU PRESIDENT) shall confirm the covenant (PEACE TREATY) with many for one week:(1X7=7 YEARS) and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,(3 1/2 yrs in TEMPLE ANIMAL SACRIFICES STOPPED) and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
Pope Francis adds new pathway to sainthood-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-July 11, 2017
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis has added a fourth pathway to possible sainthood.Until now, gaining consideration for sainthood in the Catholic Church required martyrdom, living a life of heroic values or — less frequently invoked — having a clear saintly reputation.The Vatican announced Tuesday that the pope has issued a new law outlining a new route: people who lived a good Catholic life and who freely accepted a certain and premature death for the good of others.While John Paul II streamlined the canonization process, L'Osservatore Romano noted that the norms for beatification have been in place for centuries.Under the new category, a miracle must be attributed to the candidate's intercession prior to beatification, the first step toward canonization as a saint. Martyrdom, which stipulates being killed out of hatred for the faith, does not require a miracle.The Associated Press.
Labour: UK should stay in Euratom nuclear body-By EUOBSERVER-JULY 11,17
Today, 09:02-Labour's shadow Brexit minister, Keir Starmer, has urged the UK government to keep Britain in the Euratom treaty that governs the movement of nuclear materials, and argued for the European Court of Justice to continue having its say. Labour wants to work with rebelling Tory MPs in a vote later this year to stop Britain's exit from Euratom. "Brexatom" could impact the supply of radioactive isotopes used in cancer treatment.
Column / Brussels Bytes-EU could drive global innovation in Earth observation data By Nick Wallace-JULY 11,17-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 17:03-Copernicus – a joint project between the EU and the European Space Agency (ESA) that uses satellites and ground sensors to monitor the environment – is the world's largest civil Earth observation programme, producing over 8 petabytes per year.Earth observation data has many important uses, such as tracking deforestation and rising sea levels, helping farmers and fisheries to operate sustainably, and monitoring humanitarian crises.But Copernicus is not the world’s only supplier, and if the EU and others agreed to provide standardised Earth observation data through a shared and trusted platform, that platform could support additional innovative uses of data in science, business, and policy-making, on a greater scale than any lone data supplier.Unfortunately, inadequate implementation of common data standards and reuse policies across different Earth observation programmes currently makes it difficult to reuse combined data.One attempt to resolve this is the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), run by the Group on Earth Observations (GEO), an intergovernmental organisation with over 100 member countries – including the EU’s 28.GEOSS provides a single portal for various sources of independently-supplied Earth observation data, along with common standards for incorporating them via the GEOSS Common Infrastructure (GCI).-No common standards-Despite the broad membership of GEOSS, it still faces the challenge of pushing for its standards to be widely adopted. There is no binding international agreement that commits the world’s Earth observation programmes to common standards.If the world could move from merely having disparate suppliers of Earth observation data to sharing a common platform for them, it would be easier to incorporate data from different sources into important research.It could range from tracking the effects of climate change to planning for global food security, and to use algorithmic techniques, such as text and data mining, to derive insights from huge and diverse data sets. This would help scientists to learn more about the Earth’s climate and its resources.A shared platform for the world’s Earth observation data would enhance the abilities of governments that lack their own Earth observation technologies to monitor local environmental threats.For example, the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) & Africa initiative uses Copernicus data to help African nations plan infrastructural development, manage their natural resources, and monitor the effects of climate change, natural disasters, and war.An international agreement on Earth observation data standards and reuse policies would also support economic innovation globally.Copernicus data already has various commercial uses, such as helping farmers to manage land and crops more effectively, as well as identifying optimal locations for fisheries that are environmentally sustainable.A larger, multilateral supply of interoperable data would enhance global capacity for this kind of data-driven innovation by broadening the amount of data businesses can work with at once.The EU, alongside the ESA, should take the lead in forging an international agreement on the implementation of common standards and reuse policies for Earth observation data.-Driving innovationThe Copernicus programme itself already drives innovation by making its data freely available, including for commercial reuse. And the Copernicus B2B challenge offers cash prizes for participants with the best commercial applications of Copernicus data, such as helping insurance companies to predict losses.If the EU wants to remain at the forefront of the production and use of Earth observation data, it should work with others to show that when many countries integrate data from their disparate sources, everyone is made better off.The EU already has cooperation agreements on Copernicus data with the United States and Australia. These agreements help those countries to address local needs with data, such as detecting oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico.They also bring together leading experts to collaborate on developing uses of Earth observation data that have common benefits, such opening up new markets for data-driven products and services in industries such as agriculture, fisheries, and mining.Agreements like these demonstrate the benefits to the global environment and economy when different countries share data and expertise.Similar bilateral cooperation with other countries running Earth observation satellites, such as India and Japan, could help build momentum for a multilateral agreement on interoperable data sharing.Furthermore, the EU-backed Research Data Alliance publishes guidelines on data standards and reuse policies, which, in addition to GEOSS standards, could further contribute to an agreement on interoperable data feeds that third parties can compare, combine, and freely reuse.Earth observation data is an important driver of innovation in environmental policy, urban development, scientific research, as well as in industry and business.Copernicus alone is a towering achievement, but stronger political commitment to GEOSS, with binding agreements, would make it easier for scientists, governments, and businesses to make the most of the data provided by the world’s Earth observation platforms.The EU should move swiftly to make this happen.Nick Wallace is a Brussels-based senior policy analyst at the Center for Data Innovation. His Brussels Bytes column deals with the digital single market and data-related policy issues in the European Union.
Eurozone ministers look at 'lessons' to save banks By Eric Maurice-JULY 11,17-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 09:11-Eurozone finance ministers endorsed Italy's rescue of some of its banks on Monday (10 July), but said that European rules on banking resolution should be strengthened.Last month, the Italian government decided to provide up to €17 billion to save Banca Popolare di Vicenza (BPVI) and Veneto Banca, which were at risk of failing due to massive debts.The plan came as the government is also trying to save the fourth largest bank in the country, Monte dei Paschi di Siena, with a €6.6-billion state contribution."They took the decision within all the legal frameworks and there's no question about that as far as the ministers are concerned," Eurogroup president Jeroen Dijsselbloem said after a meeting in Brussels.EU finance commissioner Pierre Moscovici noted that the "decisions taken have put an end to uncertainties weighing down on the banking sector" and that they have "removed about 13 percent of non-productive loans in the Italian banking sector".Non-productive loans (NPL) are loans that borrowers don't reimburse or pay interest on. Since the financial crisis they have been a major factor in bank debts.An EU source noted that some ministers, especially the Austrian one, "didn't like the solution" provided by the Italian government, but they agreed to it because "they know it would have been worse for taxpayers"."A number of banks are in trouble, a number of retail customers were at risk of becoming part of the solution and a lot of public money had to be spent to sort it all out. There were huge problems," Dijsselbloem said."We need to make sure these problems don't occur anymore in the future. If they do occur, we want to be as effective as possible."`The Eurogroup president insisted on "the importance of dealing with very big differences between national insolvency frameworks," a position that is shared by the German finance minister, Wolfgang Schaeuble.Dijsselbloem said that it is "important to make sure that all banks have a capacity to carry their own losses".He added that it is also important to get "a very clear creditor hierarchy in the eurozone area," in order to know who pays first when banks have to be rescued.Other issues that will have to be addressed are the protection of retail investors and how to have "sound asset evaluation in the process of dealing with banks to allow also outside investors to participate.""There is still work to do and lessons to be learnt," Dijsselbloem said.Ministers also discussed how to reduce the risk of NPLs for banks and customers.Dijsselbloem said that the idea of "one big bad bank for the eurozone or for each country," in which bad loans would be transferred to relieve banks "is not going to work".He said that a "much better way to move forward" is trying to create a market for NPLs, where different types of assets would be taken into account.
Opinion-Who to blame when you can't blame Brussels? By Daniel Freund-JULY 11,17-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 09:02-Blaming Brussels is one of the easiest techniques for any politician to make an excuse to their national electorate.Don’t want to spend additional money on social housing? Blame it on strict deficit rules set in Brussels. A company is complaining about a specific regulation? Not their fault, it was "imposed" by Brussels.But who do you blame when you cannot blame Brussels because you ‘are’ Brussels? The current negotiations for a mandatory EU lobbying register provide an interesting answer to that question.Let’s have a quick look at what these negotiations entail.For years, citizens have asked for more transparency and better rules around lobbying in Brussels. Millions of citizens have protested, petitioned or otherwise voiced their concerns over the lack of transparency and the hidden influence of corporate lobbyists in Brussels.Rightly or wrongly, it has played an important role in almost any major debate, be it on TTIP, Brexit or ongoing attacks by eurosceptics. Lobbyists themselves strongly support stricter rules and more transparency.In this context, the European Commission proposed a "mandatory lobbying register" almost one year ago.-A quick fix-Fearing that a legislative proposal would not find the necessary majorities, the EU commission suggested a quick fix based on an agreement between the three decision-making institutions: the European Parliament, Council of the EU, where member states sit, and the commission.The mechanism to make the register mandatory was that the institutions would agree to refuse access to lobbyists that are not willing to register.Indeed, the EU commission of current president Jean-Claude Juncker made an important step in that direction in 2014 by introducing rules for the commissioners and their closest advisers.The basic idea now was to extend this rule of “no registration, no meeting” and the publication of those meetings by the commission to the council and parliament. The council has so far abstained even from the voluntary register.Parliament has traditionally been the strongest supporter of a mandatory register. But both institutions, the council and parliament, have been discussing their position on the proposal and things are not looking too promising.The council knows that some progress is necessary and that it needs to be more transparent. When it comes to the details, however, its reservations persist.The main lobby targets in the council are the representations of member states, governments back in the capitals across Europe, and the 6-month rotating presidency, in particular.The new rules covering anything beyond the council secretariat, which is probably the least lobbied part of the EU institutions, does not seem to find support. Many point to the fact that everything beyond the secretariat falls under national competence and would have to be done by member states.The EU parliament is ambitious in asking for more transparency of the other institutions.Applying the “no registration, no meeting” rule to MEPs, however, seems to pose problems as the chief negotiators outlined in an op-ed for EUobserver.In December last year a majority of MEPs voted to introduce the mandatory publication of lobby meetings for all MEPs.Unfortunately, however, the majority was not strong enough to change the parliament’s internal rules. Now its legal service has issued an opinion which indicates that both preventing meetings with unregistered lobbyists, or making publication of meetings mandatory, would be in violation of the MEPs' so-called "free mandate".-Bring in the lawyers-So, when citizens strongly support lobbying transparency, when Brussels lobbyists are all in favour of a better register, but your EU institution does not seem to want to create the dearly-needed mandatory EU lobby register, who do you blame? The lawyers.The legal services of the EU parliament and council have come up with "national competence" and "free mandate" excuses, which prevent any meaningful progress.Parliament’s legal analysis conveniently finds that such transparency rules should indeed apply to assistants, political advisers and civil servants, but not the main target of lobbying: the MEPs themselves.In their view, it might somehow hinder them from exercising their mandate freely.But doubts have already been cast on the legal reasoning of the institutions. If these assessments are maintained, and both MEPs and most of the council exclude themselves from any lobby transparency rules, the commission’s plan for a ‘quick fix’ will have failed.In both cases – national politicians blaming Brussels and Brussels politicians blaming legal challenges – what is really is at hand is a lack of political will and leadership.We have seen many examples over the last years where even contradicting treaty rules did not prevent or slow down decisions that had full political backing, be it the “no bailout clause” or the setting up of an entire crisis-response institutional structure outside the EU treaties.The mandatory lobbying register was the main proposal of the Juncker commission to make the EU more democratic, more accountable and more transparent. This important project must not fail.Rather than deploying lawyers to find obstacles, we need politicians to lead the way to more lobbying transparency. Under their guidance, lawyers will find a way to word the new regime in a way that will not contradict existing rules.Daniel Freund is the Head of Advocacy for EU Integrity at Transparency International EU
Ukraine keen to begin Nato entry process By Andrew Rettman-JULY 11,17-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 09:27-Ukraine is keen to start its Nato application process despite Russia’s ongoing aggression in the east of the country.“Today it has been emphasised that we should start a discussion about establishing a membership action plan [MAP] and our proposals … were accepted with understanding”, Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko told press after meeting Nato head Jens Stoltenberg in Kiev on Monday (10 July).“We have a clear-cut time table as to what we have to do by the year 2020 in order to meet the membership criteria,” he added.He said recent polls showed more than 60 percent of Ukrainians wanted to join the Western alliance.Stoltenberg said Russia would not be able to stop Ukraine’s membership.“Whether Ukraine is going to become a member of Nato or not is for the allies and Ukraine to decide, no one else has the right to try to veto such a process”, he said.“Ukraine is moving steadily towards meeting Nato standards,” he added.He noted that €40 million of Nato money was helping Ukraine to buy high-end satellite surveillance and cyber-defence equipment.A Nato office in Kiev is also advising Ukraine on military and intelligence reforms.Piers Cazalet, a Nato spokesman, said in Kiev on Tuesday that Stoltenberg “took note” of Poroshenko’s MAP request.He said the current “priority” was “the modernisation of its defence and security institutions”, however.A Nato MAP, in which aspirant states submit annual reports on military and political assimilation, is the first step toward accession.It does not guarantee future membership and it has no set duration, but in the latest case - Montenegro - the Balkan state began its MAP in 2009 and joined Nato this year.-Russian troops-Stoltenberg also said in Kiev that: “Russia must withdraw its thousands of soldiers from [east] Ukraine and stop supporting the militants [there], with command and control, and military equipment”.He added that “it is extremely important to maintain the sanctions as long as Russia doesn’t change its behaviour in eastern Ukraine and Crimea”, referring to EU and US economic sanctions.Poroshenko called for the “withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian soil, withdrawal of Russian artillery, tank, and multi-rocket launch systems back to Russia”.The Kremlin responded the same day by saying Ukraine’s Nato membership would “not help strengthen stability and security in Europe”.Dmitry Peskov, its spokesman, added: “Russia has never had and has no servicemen in Ukraine”.There is a wealth of photographic evidence and eyewitness testimony to the contrary, however.There are also high-level statements that contradict the official line.Sergei Larvov, the Russian foreign minister, told a seminar in Moscow on 30 June: “I have read and heard much criticism that we should not have got involved into the conflicts in Donbass [a region in east Ukraine]”.Russian president Vladimir Putin said on TV in June 2015: “We never said there were not people there [east Ukraine] who carried out certain tasks including in the military sphere”.The Ukrainian parliament said in June by 276 out of 450 votes that Ukraine should join Nato.A poll in June by the Democratic Initiatives Foundation, a Ukrainian NGO, showed that 69 percent of people wanted to join the Western military bloc.The surge in Nato support came after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014. The invasion followed an anti-corruption revolution in Kiev that ousted its pro-Kremlin regime.-EU summit-Poroshenko will go to Brussels on Wednesday to meet top EU officials.The summit will discuss progress on an EU-Ukraine political and trade pact which enters into force in September.US secretary of state Rex Tillerson also visited Kiev on Sunday.He said “it is necessary for Russia to take the first steps to de-escalate the situation in the eastern part of Ukraine” before the US would consider relaxing sanctions.The EU recently extended its economic sanctions until January next year.The US senate voted to expand sanctions, including against Western investors in Russian gas projects such as Nord Stream 2, a pipeline to Germany.“We see an open sabotage of infrastructure projects … that are economically well founded and attractive for consumers, like for instance Nord Stream 2,” Russian energy minister Aleksandr Novak said at a congress in Istanbul on Monday.
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
OH BY THE WAY WHEN THE MEDIA SAYS ALLU-AK-BAR MEANS GOD IS GREAT LIE. IN ISLAM ALLU-AK-BAR MEANS OUR GOD IS GREATER OR GREATEST. THIS IS HOW THE MEDIA SUCK HOLES UP TO ISLAMIC-QURANIC-MUSLIMS. BY WATERING DOWN THE REAL MEANING OF THE SEX FOR MURDER DEATH CULT ISLAM. TO MAKE IT SOUND LIKE A PEACEFUL RELIGION (CULT OF DEATH AND WORLD DOMINATION).
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)
The Latest: Kuwait 'extremely concerned' about Gulf crisis-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-July 11, 2017
DOHA, Qatar — The Latest on the diplomatic crisis between Qatar and its Arab neighbours (all times local):7:45 p.m.The Kuwaiti emir who is mediating the dispute between Qatar and four Arab states says he is "extremely concerned" about the crisis.Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Sabah was quoted Tuesday by the official Kuwait News Agency, which said he expressed "bitterness" over what he called "unprecedented developments" related to the crisis.He says only the countries involved can solve the dispute, which pits Qatar against Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt.The emir is a seasoned diplomat who served as minister of foreign affairs to Kuwait during some of the region's most troubling feuds, including the Gulf War in the 1990s and the Iraq War in 2003.___5 p.m.A Qatari envoy says the energy-rich nation will continue development projects in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, despite a rift with its Gulf neighbours stemming in part from its ties with the Islamic militant group.Mohammed El-Amadi spoke Tuesday as he signed a new agreement with a Palestinian contractor to build eight residential buildings.Qatar has been the largest single donor to Gaza over the past five years, disbursing about a half billion dollars for housing, reconstruction, infrastructure development, and health projects.Saudi Arabia and its allies have pressed Qatar to end its support to the pan-Arab Muslim Brotherhood movement, the historical parent of the militant Hamas group.Hamas seized control of Gaza from forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in 2007.___4:45 p.m.The United States and Qatar have signed an agreement aimed at shoring up the Gulf nation's counterterrorism efforts.The memorandum of understanding was signed Tuesday during a visit to the energy-rich country by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.He is in the Gulf on a mission aimed at ending a rift between Qatar and four Arab states that accuse it of supporting extremists. Qatar denies the allegation.Senior Tillerson adviser R.C. Hammond says the deal outlines "future efforts Qatar can take to fortify its fight against terrorism and actively address terrorism funding issues."___11 a.m.U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has departed for Qatar as he tries to mediate a dispute between the energy-rich country and a quartet of Arab nations.Tillerson left Kuwait City and was due to arrive in the Qatari capital, Doha, before noon on Tuesday.He has held talks Kuwait's ruling emir, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Sabah, after arriving in Kuwait on Monday.Sheikh Sabah has been acting as a mediator between Qatar and four states lined up against it: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.The quartet broke off relations and cut air, sea and land routes to Qatar in early June. They accuse it of supporting extremist groups — something Qatar denies — and meddling in their affairs.The Associated Press.
No big change seen to U.S. troop levels in Iraq after Mosul victory-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-July 11, 2017
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top U.S. general in Iraq said on Tuesday he did not see any major change to the numbers of American forces in Iraq after the recapture of the Iraqi city of Mosul from Islamic State, saying the campaign would continue to other towns held by the group."This fight is far from over. So I wouldn't expect to see any significant change in our troop levels in the immediate future because there's still hard work to be done by the Iraqis and the coalition," Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend told a news briefing.(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by James Dalgleish)
Electronics ban on Egypt-U.S. flights to be lifted next week: sources-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-July 11, 2017
CAIRO (Reuters) - A three-month-old ban on taking electronic devices such as laptops into aircraft cabins on flights from Egypt to the United States will be lifted next week, sources at Cairo International Airport told Reuters on Tuesday.On March 25, the United States banned electronic devices larger than a mobile phone from cabins on direct flights to the United States from 10 airports in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey."The relevant U.S. authorities have decided to lift the ban imposed since last March on passengers taking electronic devices aboard aircraft cabins from Cairo airport on EgyptAir [EGY.UL] flights headed to New York in the next week," one source said.A delegation from the U.S. Transportation Security Administration will carry out an inspection of measures employed to secure passengers and cargo on EgyptAir's flight to New York, the only U.S.-bound flight out of Egypt, as part of routine TSA inspections, the sources said.The ban was imposed at 10 airports in Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Turkey to address fears that bombs could be concealed in electronic devices.(Writing by Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Eric Knecht and Janet Lawrence)
Germany's Gabriel attacks Merkel after violence at the G20-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-July 11, 2017
BERLIN (Reuters) - German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel made an unusually strong attack on Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday as politicians blamed each other for the violent protests that overshadowed the G20 summit in Hamburg at the weekend.The comments come as tension mounts in Germany's ruling coalition between Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) and Gabriel's Social Democrats (SPD) just over two months before a national election on Sept. 24.Some commentators have criticized Merkel's choice of her birthplace, Hamburg, a seaport with a strong radical leftist tradition, to host the meeting. They say her desire to show her commitment to freedom of speech had backfired.On Monday, members of Merkel's conservatives sought to turn the blame back onto Germany's left-wing parties. Some suggested that Hamburg's SPD mayor, Olaf Scholz, should resign for failing to stem the violence."Olaf Scholz is not responsible for the staging of this summit," Gabriel told the Funke newspaper group in an interview for publication on Wednesday. "Whoever wants his resignation ... must also demand the resignation of Angela Merkel."She carries the political responsibility for the staging and direction of the G20 summit in Hamburg, which had a secret goal: the self-promotion of the CDU leader shortly before the election," he added.Gabriel's comments drew a sharp rebuke from Andreas Scheuer, general secretary of the Christian Social Union, sister party to the CDU."Gabriel has blown a fuse," he told the newspaper Bild. "It is a loutish blow below the belt from a Gabriel in election campaign mode who has lost his wits."About 20,000 police struggled to contain several hundred demonstrators who torched cars, looted shops and hurled Molotov cocktails and stones during the July 7-8 summit. Almost 500 officers were injured.In a poll published earlier on Tuesday and conducted before the G20, Merkel's CDU was leading at 39 percent, with the SPD down a point to 22 percent.Gabriel said the G20 summit had been a "total failure" with respect to the big topics affecting humanity - war, civil war, flight, hunger and poverty."But unfortunately today we have to be satisfied if the 20 heads of state of the rich countries can just meet and it doesn't get even worse. So much for a success," he said.(Reporting by Emma Thomasson, editing by Larry King)
Saudi Arabia executes four people convicted of terrorism in Qatif-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-July 11, 2017
DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia executed four people convinced of terrorism in Qatif in the eastern part of the kingdom, state television said on Tuesday quoting a statement by the Interior Ministry.The oil producing region is where many of the country's Shi'ite Muslim minority live.(Reporting by Maha El Dahan and Sami Aboudi; Editing by Alison Williams)
