JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO OTHER.
1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)
LUKE 21:28-29
28 And when these things begin to come to pass,(ALL THE PROPHECY SIGNS FROM THE BIBLE) then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption (RAPTURE) draweth nigh.
29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree,(ISRAEL) and all the trees;(ALL INDEPENDENT COUNTRIES)
30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.(ISRAEL LITERALLY BECAME AND INDEPENDENT COUNTRY JUST BEFORE SUMMER IN MAY 14,1948.)
JOEL 2:3,30
3 A fire devoureth (ATOMIC BOMB) before them;(RUSSIAN-ARAB-MUSLIM ARMIES AGAINST ISRAEL) and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.(ATOMIC BOMB AFFECT)
ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their eyes shall consume away in their holes,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB)(BECAUSE NUKES HAVE BEEN USED ON ISRAELS ENEMIES)(GOD PROTECTS ISRAEL AND ALWAYS WILL)
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.(1/2-3 BILLION DIE IN WW3)(THIS IS AN ATOMIC BOMB EFFECT)
EZEKIEL 20:47
47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.
ZEPHANIAH 1:18
18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
MALACHI 4:1
1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven;(FROM ATOMIC BOMBS) and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
And here are the bounderies of the land that Israel will inherit either through war or peace or God in the future. God says its Israels land and only Israels land. They will have every inch God promised them of this land in the future.
Egypt east of the Nile River, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, The southern part of Turkey and the Western Half of Iraq west of the Euphrates. Gen 13:14-15, Psm 105:9,11, Gen 15:18, Exe 23:31, Num 34:1-12, Josh 1:4.ALL THIS LAND ISRAEL WILL DEFINATELY OWN IN THE FUTURE, ITS ISRAELS NOT ISHMAELS LAND.12 TRIBES INHERIT LAND IN THE FUTURE
As Iran threatens to ‘annihilate’ Israel, Hezbollah boast of reach of rockets-Head of Iranian army says his forces working to ensure collapse of Israel within 25 years; Hassan Nasrallah says his missiles can hit any target in Israel-By TOI staff-APR 23,18
The head of the Iranian army on Saturday said Iranian forces were working to “annihilate” Israel and predicted they would achieve success within 25 years.The threats from the Commander of Iran’s Army Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi come amid almost daily warnings of conflict from Tehran and Jerusalem, heightened by an alleged Israeli strike on an Iranian base in Syria earlier in the month.“When the arrogant powers create a sanctuary for the Zionist regime to continue survival, we shouldn’t allow one day to be added to the ominous and illegitimate life of this regime,” Mousavi told a ceremony in Tehran on Saturday, according to the Fars news agency.“The Army will move hand in hand with the IRGC so that the arrogant system will collapse and the Zionist regime will be annihilated,” General Moussavi said, refering to the Revolutionary Guards.He predicted this would take place with in 25 years, a number frequently used by the Iranian leadership.Speaking hours later Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah warned that the Lebanese terror group’s rockets could hit all of Israel.“The forces of the resistance today have the ability, the power and the missiles to hit any target in Israel,” said Nasrallah. Hezbollah is one of Iran’s main proxies in its fight with Israel.On Friday, the vice commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned Israel that its airbases are “within reach,” in remarks apparently reacting to Israel’s publication on Tuesday of a map showing five Tehran-controlled bases in Syria.“Israel: Don’t trust in your airbases; they’re within reach,” Hossein Salami wrote on Twitter, also making similar comments in a fiery speech.Israel, said Salami, was living “in the dragon’s mouth.” Both northern and western Israel were “in the range of our missiles,” he threatened, in a speech given in Tehran.“Wherever you are in the occupied land, you’ll be under fire from us, from east and west. You became arrogant. If there’s a war, the result will be your complete elimination,” he said.“Your soldiers and civilians will flee, and you won’t survive. And you’ll have nowhere to run, except to fall into the sea.”Earlier on Twitter he warned Israel should not rely on outside help.“Don’t have hope in US and UK; when they arrive, you’re not there… Smallest goal will be your existence. You can’t bear. When you escape, you’ll have no way but to the sea.”#Iran's #IRGC vice-commander warns #Israel: Don't trust in your airbases; they're within reach. Don't have hope in #US & #UK; when they arrive, you're not there…Smallest goal will be your https://t.co/azci9gxyTB can't bear. When you escape, you'll have no way but to the sea. pic.twitter.com/Xyqa0qLmiC— Abas Aslani (@AbasAslani) April 20, 2018-#Iran's #IRGC vice-commander Salami warns enemies: Hands are on the trigger & missiles are ready & will be launched at any moment that enemy has a sinister plot… North & west of #Israel are at the intersection of fire; you will not escape. You live in the dragon's mouth. pic.twitter.com/wwKdXfZMrk— Abas Aslani (@AbasAslani) April 20, 2018As Iran stepped up it threats against Israel, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman warned Tehran on Friday not to even consider an attack on the Jewish state, which he said has never been better prepared to counter Iran.“I would suggest to all those on our northern border to think again about what they are doing,” Liberman said.“It’s seriously not worth it for you to test the IDF, nor the state of Israel,” said Liberman who was touring the Gaza border. “We are ready for every scenario. We are ready for a multi-front scenario and I don’t remember a time when we were so prepared and so ready, both the army and the people of Israel.”Iranian officials have been making increasingly bellicose remarks following an April 9 strike on the T-4 air base, near Palmyra in central Syria, which killed at least seven members of the IRGC, including the head of its drone program, Col. Mehdi Dehghan.Iran, Syria, Russia, and some US officials have all said explicitly that Israel was responsible for the strike.Israeli officials refuse to comment on the matter, though The New York Times quoted an Israeli military official as acknowledging that the Jewish state was behind the attack.Amid the escalating rhetoric, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made several threats against Iran in recent days.On Friday, he told a festive post-Independence Day cabinet meeting, “We hear the threats from Iran. The IDF and the security forces are ready for any development. We will fight whoever tries to harm us. We will not shy away from the price and we will exact a price from those who want to hurt us. The IDF is ready for the job and the people will stand strong.”On Tuesday, ahead of Israel’s Independence Day and in an apparent effort at deterrence, Israeli media was provided by the IDF with a map showing five Iranian-controlled bases in Syria, which would apparently constitute potential targets for an Israeli response should Iran carry out any kind of attack.On Monday, a spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry said the country’s retaliation against Israel will come “sooner or later” and that Jerusalem will “regret its misdeeds.”Israel’s defense establishment — the country’s various intelligence services and the military — believes an Iranian revenge attack would likely be carried out by the IRGC’s air force, with surface-to-surface missiles or armed drones, The Times of Israel has learned.That would be a departure from previous clashes between Israel and Iran, in which Tehran’s reprisals were carried out through proxies, like the Hezbollah terrorist group, rather than by its own Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Czech PM says country will open honorary consulate, not embassy in Jerusalem-Israel had hoped the Czech Republic would follow the US and move their mission from Tel Aviv; Acting PM Babis does not want to break with EU policy-By TOI staff-APR 23,18
Acting Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis has said that his country is unlikely to follow the US and move their embassy to Jerusalem, however, they were still interested in boosting their presence in the city.The Czech Republic will open a new honorary consulate in Jerusalem in the next few months, Babis said Friday, according to Radio Prague. Babis also said that the government was considering opening a Czech center in the city during a planned visit to Israel by the Czech president, Milos Zeman, at the end of 2018.According to the Radio Prague report, Babis did not want to break with the EU position, which holds that the issue of Jerusalem needs to first be resolved in peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.Babis believed that opening a Czech consulate would not violate those principles, the radio said.Israel had been hopeful that the Czechs would follow US President Donald Trump and several other nations who have promised to move their missions.In March an Israeli Foreign Ministry cable reportedly said that they had begun examining the practical implications of moving the embassy to Jerusalem.In a classified cable written to the Foreign Ministry, Israel’s Ambassador to Prague Daniel Meron credited Jerusalem’s diplomatic efforts for developments on the issue in the Czech Republic, which “has begun a quiet internal staff evaluation to examine the possibilities and risks regarding the transfer of its embassy.”Meron wrote that Israeli pressure following decisions from the US and Guatemala to move their respective embassies to Jerusalem have made the Czech Republic more open to following suit.However, the decision will ultimately be made by Babis, who is seen as particularly risk averse.“At the same time, the prime minister is very influenced by public opinion, which is well-known to be pro-Israel,” Meron wrote, adding that it was crucial for Jerusalem to continue its public outreach in Prague to cement that support.The ambassador argued that Israel ought to utilize Zeman, who has been a vocal supporter of the Jewish state and has recently advocated for the embassy move.While acknowledging that he plays a largely ceremonial role, Meron wrote that Zeman still has sway in Prague.Meron said Zeman had very much appreciated a letter that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee sent him earlier this month thanking him for his position in favor of the embassy move. The Czech president has also announced his plans to host an Israeli Independence Day celebration at his residence on April 25, the Israeli diplomat noted.“The discussions [on this issue] continue and we have learned that a ministerial team was also set up, including the president’s adviser, the deputy foreign minister, and the prime minister’s adviser for internal coordination on the possibility of transferring the embassy to Jerusalem,” Meron wrote.The cable came less than two weeks after the Lidové noviny newspaper reported that Zeman, who in December announced his intention to relocate the embassy from Tel Aviv, now wants to speed up the process.However, the report also said that after consultation with its partners in the European Union, the country’s foreign ministry objected to moving the embassy. The report also said the Czech government does not currently own property in Jerusalem that would be suitable for its embassy.In December, Zeman said he supported Trump’s decision to move the US embassy but was disappointed that Washington had done it first.“It makes me truly happy because, as I said during my visit to Israel four years ago, I would appreciate the transfer of the Czech Embassy to Jerusalem, and had it happened, we would have been the first to do so,” said Zeman, who was elected to a second five-year term in office the following month. “Now we may sooner or later follow the United States. In any case, it is still better than nothing.”On December 6, Trump bucked decades of US foreign policy by formally recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and setting in motion plans to move the US embassy there from Tel Aviv. In February the US administration announced that it would open its Jerusalem embassy in May 2018 to coincide with the 70th anniversary of Israel’s independence.After Trump’s announcement, the Czech foreign ministry said it recognizes the pre-1967 West Jerusalem as the country’s capital, while noting the city should be a shared capital with the Palestinians.“The ministry can start considering moving of the Czech embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem only based on results of negotiations with key partners in the region and in the world,” it said at the time.Trump’s decision to move his country’s embassy, welcomed by Israel, has been condemned by leaders and foreign ministers across the world, who have said the city’s status should be determined through negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.
Hamas says man gunned down in Malaysia was important member-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-April 23, 2018
GAZA, Palestinian Territory — Gaza's ruling Hamas militant group said Saturday that a man who was gunned down in Malaysia was an important member of the organization, raising suspicions that Israel was behind the brazen killing.Hamas said Palestinian engineer Fadi al-Batsh was a "loyal" member and a "scientist of Palestine's youth scholars." It gave no further details on his scientific accomplishments but said he had made "important contributions" and participated in international forums in the field of energy.The funeral service by the Islamic movement's militant wing, though, suggested al-Batsh was actually one of its military commanders. At a mourning house in the Gaza Strip, a banner described al-Batsh as a member of the military wing. Ten masked militants in camouflage uniforms stood in a line outside the tent in Jabaliya, the slain man's hometown, to greet mourners. The ceremony is typical for senior Hamas commanders.Hamas stopped short of blaming Israel, saying only that he had been "assassinated by the hand of treachery." But relatives of al-Batsh said they believe Israel targeted him.Malaysian police say the 34-year-old al-Batsh was gunned down early Saturday by two assailants who shot at least eight bullets from a motorbike as he was heading to a mosque for dawn prayers in Kuala Lampur. It said closed-circuit television footage showed him targeted by assassins who had waited for him for almost 20 minutes.Malaysia's deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the government was looking into the possibility of the involvement of "foreign agents" in his killing. He told local media that initial investigations showed the assailants were "white men" driving a powerful BMW 1100cc motorbike.Besides his Hamas affiliation, al-Batsh was also a cousin of Khaled al-Batsh, a senior official in the Islamic Jihad militant group, who accused the Israeli Mossad spy agency of the assassination, without providing evidence.The Israeli government had no comment. But Israel has a long history of suspected targeting of wanted Palestinian militants in daring overseas operations around the globe and has been linked to other assassinations as well, though it has rarely publicly acknowledged them.Al-Batsh specialized in electrical and electronic engineering and worked at a Malaysian university. He had lived there with his family for the past eight years and was an imam at a local mosque.He received his Ph.D degree from the University of Malaya in 2015 and was a senior lecturer at the British Malaysian Institute. His official biography said his research interests included power converters, power quality and renewable energy.However, Israeli media reported that he was also deeply involved in the Hamas drone development project.Israel and Hamas are bitter foes who have fought three wars since 2008. Tensions have risen in recent weeks with a series of mass protests along the Gaza border in which 32 Palestinians have been shot dead by Israeli troops since late March.Hamas says the protests are aimed at breaking a crippling border blockade that was imposed by Israel and Egypt after the Islamic militant group overran Gaza in 2007, a year after winning Palestinian parliament elections. It says it also aims to assert the right of refugees to return to their former homes in Israel.Israel accuses Hamas, which is sworn to Israel's destruction and has carried out dozens of deadly suicide bombings against it, of cynically exploiting Gaza civilians for its political aims by staging the protests and trying to carry out attacks under their cover.Israel has used lethal force against unarmed protesters, but it says it is only targeting instigators who are trying to damage the border fence with explosives, firebombs and other means. However, the United Nations, the European Union and rights groups have questioned Israel's use of force when soldiers' lives are not in danger and the U.N. and E.U. have called for investigations.Protests are aiming to culminate in a large border march on May 15, the 70th anniversary of Israel founding. The date is mourned by Palestinians as their "nakba,"or catastrophe, when hundreds of thousands were uprooted in the 1948 Mideast war over Israel's creation.___Associated Press writer Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur contributed to this report.Fares Akram, The Associated Press.
Liberman hails US decision to drop ‘occupied’ from West Bank terminology-Defense minister says State Department telling the truth, as new document refers only to 'Israel, Golan Heights, West Bank, and Gaza,' with no comment on status of the territories-By TOI staff and Eric Cortellessa-APR 23,18
Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman on Saturday hailed a decision by the US State Department to drop the term “occupied” in a report referring to the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and Golan Heights, saying that the truth was finally being made plain.“The lie of the occupied Palestinian territories is being exposed. They say that if you repeat a lie enough, it eventually becomes the truth, but the truth will always be stronger,” Liberman tweeted. “The announcement by the US state department is proof of that.”Liberman, who as defense minister is responsible for administering the West Bank, was commenting after the US State Department released its annual report on human rights violations around the world on Friday, and no longer refered to the West Bank as “occupied.”Whereas previous iterations of the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices had a section on “Israel and the Occupied Territories,” this year’s document refers instead to “Israel, Golan Heights, West Bank, and Gaza.”Israel captured The Golan, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza in the 1967 Six Day War. It has annexed East Jerusalem and the Golan and, in 2005, withdrew from the Gaza Strip, which is now ruled by the Palestinian terror group Hamas. The Palestinian Authority rules parts of the West Bank, but overall control remains under the Israeli militarily.Last December, it was reported that US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman asked the State Department to stop calling the West Bank occupied, which would make a noted departure in US policy.No indication of any change in that regard had materialized — until now.In the past, Friedman had made remarks that were rebuffed by Washington as not reflecting official policy. Last September, for instance, he told Israel’s Walla news site he thought “the settlements are part of Israel.” State Dept. Spokesperson Heather Nauert later told reporters his comments marked no shift in the US position. Before his confirmation to the diplomatic role, Friedman was a staunch settlements supporter and columnist for right-wing Israeli publications.The report released Friday also noted that the final status of Jerusalem, which US President Donald Trump has formally recognized as Israel’s capital while making plans to relocate the US embassy there, was still a matter of talks between both sides.“On December 6, 2017, the United States recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel,” the report said. “It is the position of the United States that the specific boundaries of Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem are subject to final status negotiations between the parties.”Most of the rest of the report is similar to prior years, cataloging human rights abuses by by the Israeli Defense Forces, Hamas, and the Palestinian Authority.The report said “the most significant human rights issues included terrorist attacks targeting civilians and politically and religiously motivated killings by nonstate groups and individuals; administrative detention of Palestinians, often extraterritorially in Israel; and legal requirements and official rhetoric that adversely affected the operating environment for human rights nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).”It added that the Israeli government “took steps to prosecute and punish officials who committed abuses within Israel regardless of rank or seniority.”The report also included a lengthy section on Hamas activities in Gaza, which it said entailed “rocket and mortar attacks against civilian targets in Israel, and they did so at or near civilian locations in Gaza.” Within the coastal enclave, Hamas carries out violent killings, torture practices, and arbitrary arrests of minors and LGBTQ individuals. There is also widespread forced child labor, the report said.Another section, however, also detailed allegations against Israel, including exacting arbitrary arrests, demolitions of Palestinian homes and confiscation of Palestinian property, torturous interrogation techniques, and imposing limitations on Palestinians’ rights to peacefully assemble and protest and their freedom of movement.
LIBERALISM IS MENTAL ILLNESS. TRUDEAU REFUSES TO EVEN SAY THE WORD TERRORIST. HE ALMOST CRYED WHEN HE WAS FORCED TO READ THE WORD NO SECURITY THREAT FROM THIS TERRORIST ATTACK YESTERDAY IN TORONTO. IF TRUDEAU WAS FORCED TO SAY THE WORD TERRORIST RELATED TO THIS ATTACK. HE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE HAD AN INSTANT HEART ATTACK AND DIED ON THE SPOT. AS USUAL THE LIBERAL MEDIA COVER UP THIS MUSLIM TERRORIST ATTACK IF IT IS INDEED WAS-LIKE I BELIEVE. THE LIBERAL MEDIA ALL CLAIM HE WAS MENTALLY ILL. NO THIS TERRORIST WAS DEMON POSSESSED- AND MURDERED PEOPLE ON PURPOSE LIKE ALL THE OTHER TERRORISTS THAT KILL INNOCENT PEOPLE.
10 dead after van strikes pedestrians in Toronto, suspect identified-Josh K. Elliott and Josh Dehaas, CTVNews.ca-Last Updated Monday, April 23, 2018 11:15PM EDT
Ten people were killed and 15 others were injured after a white rental van mowed down pedestrians along a busy street in Toronto on Monday.The incident happened at around 1:30 p.m. on Yonge Street, starting at Finch Avenue and ending near Sheppard Avenue, about two kilometres away, where a police officer arrested a male suspect without firing a single shot.Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders identified the suspect as Alek Minassian, 25, of Richmond Hill, Ont.Saunders told reporters at a press conference Monday that investigators were working hard to determine a motive, and that Minassian was not known to Toronto police.“There’s nothing on our files,” he said. “There’s nothing that we have on him right now.”Minassian’s neighbours told CTV’s Peter Akman that they would see him jogging and that he kept to himself. One former classmate said he struggled with mental illness.National security sources told CTV’s Mercedes Stephenson that mental health was the primary focus of the police investigation, and that they had found no indication of radicalization.Saunders encouraged members of the public who may have information to call an investigative hotline at 416-808-8750. He said those affected by the tragedy should contact victim services at 416-808-7066.Witness Ali Shaker, who was driving southbound on Yonge Street at the time of incident, said the van sped along a sidewalk, hitting at least one stroller and “crumbling down people one by one.”Carol Roberts, who witnessed the aftermath, said she saw “a lot of people lying lifeless on the ground.”“It was just so many bodies,” she told CTV News Channel.A witness named Kash told local news station CP24 that he was having lunch at a Jack Astor's restaurant when he came out and saw four bodies on the ground in front of Mel Lastman Square.“People were trying to revive them obviously to no avail,” he said.“It seems very clearly that the van had hopped the curb and kind of driven on the sidewalk going southbound and hit plenty of people.”Kash said that it was “very traumatic.”“Our thoughts and prayers go to people that do have family that have been hit,” he said.“There was a guy here who said he followed the van down honking his horn trying to warn people as much as he could," he added.Arrest caught on video-A video shared with CTV News shows a tense standoff between a police officer and the suspect, who is holding an object in his hands.“Get down!” the officer is heard shouting.“I have a gun in my pocket,” the suspect can be heard saying.“Get down or you’ll be shot!” the officer yells.The camera turns away from the confrontation for approximately eight seconds, then looks back to show the suspect on the ground, face-down, with the officer cuffing him.Chief Saunders said that there was no indication that the suspect had a gun.Victims in critical condition-Saunders offered no details on the 10 deceased victims and said that the majority had not yet been identified.Earlier on Monday, Dr. Dan Cass of Sunnybrook Hospital told reporters that the trauma centre had received a total of 10 adult victims.Dr. Cass said that two of the victims were pronounced dead upon arrival, five were in critical condition and three were in serious condition.He said that people seeking information on patients should call 416-480-4940.Invesco Canada President Peter Intraligi said that two Invesco employees were injured. The Toronto Public Library said all of its employees who were working at the North York Central branch have been accounted for.Toronto map of van-pedestrian incident-Politicians react-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident “a tragic and senseless attack.”“On behalf of all Canadians, I offer my heartfelt condolences to the loved ones of those who were killed, and my thoughts for a fast and full recovery to those injured,” he said late Monday.“We are monitoring this situation closely, and will continue working with our law enforcement partners around the country to ensure the safety and security of all Canadians,” the prime minister went on.Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne called it a “tragic situation,” and thanked first responders.“This is a frightening thing that is not emblematic of who we are as a city or a province, but a tragedy that we will work through,” Wynne said. “But there will be a lot of sadness and pain before that happens.”With reports from CTV’s Peter Akman, CTV’s Genevieve Beachemain, CTV’s Mercedes Stephenson, CTV’s John Vennavally-Rao, CTVNews.ca’s Josh Elliott, CTV Toronto and CP24
Motive elusive after van driver kills 10 on Toronto sidewalk-[Associated Press]-YAHOONEWS-April 24, 2018
TORONTO (AP) — Police in Canada's biggest city are piecing together witness accounts and surveillance video trying to determine why a driver plowed a rented van along a crowded sidewalk, killing 10 people and injuring 15 in what many said seemed a deliberate attack.A 25-year-old suspect was quickly captured in a tense but brief confrontation with officers a few blocks away from where his van jumped the sidewalk Monday and continued for a mile, leaving people bloodied and dead in his wake Monday.Officials would not comment on a possible motive except to play down a possible connection to terrorism, a thought that occurred to many following a series of attacks involving trucks and pedestrians in Europe and the presence in Toronto this week of Cabinet ministers from the G7 nations.
Shoes, bodies strewn on Toronto street after van attack-[Reuters]-By Jim Finkle and Anna Mehler Paperny-YAHOONEWS-April 24, 2018
TORONTO (Reuters) - Shoes, torn clothing and bodies covered with tarpaulins were strewn across one of Toronto's busiest streets on Monday, turning a 15-block area into a ghost town after a van struck and killed 10 people and injured 15.Young Lee, a 56-year-old attorney, looked out of his third-floor office window to see that food trucks had returned to the neighborhood on one of the first warm days of the year.Then he realized something was wrong: Two people were on the ground next to a truck, frantically being treated by medics were performing CPR. There was blood on the ground, people were disheveled and clothes were thrown around."There was stuff going on all up and down the sidewalks," Lee said by telephone. "It was surreal to see this happen on the first bright spring day in Toronto."He quickly learned he had seen the victims of one of Canada's rare mass attacks. A white van had plowed down people walking along Yonge Street, killing 10 and injuring 15.Steve Cortesi witnessed the carnage when he stepped out of his building for a smoke."I turned up my head and saw a van hit a man walking through the intersection," Cortesi told Toronto TV news channel CP 24."It was a green light. He actually rolled into the road. I ran into the middle of the road and stopped all the cars. And then pandemonium broke loose, everyone was going crazy."Police received the first notifying calls at about 1:30 p.m. Half an hour later an officer apprehended a suspect later identified as Alek Minassian, a 25-year-old man from the Toronto suburb of Richmond Hill.The usually bustling street quickly turned into a taped-off crime scene, with shocked pedestrians murmuring into their mobile phones, stopping to take photos of tarpaulin-shrouded corpses beyond the police tape.Adrian, another witness who declined to provide his surname, said he saw the tail end of the killing spree. "I’m still shaking," he said, holding back tears, more than an hour after the incident.Downtown Toronto's iconic CN Tower, which is normally lit up in the evening, went dark on Monday evening.Aras Reisi, who lives nearby, heard people were hurt and rushed to the scene with friends, figuring his first-aid training would help."As a human being, when you see someone injured, you have to rush in and help," he said.The community was strong, he added. "We’re going to get through this."The majority of the victims have yet to be identified.(Reporting by Jim Finkle, Ann Mehler Paperny and Nichola Saminather in Toronto; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
Investigation-MEP friendship groups offer 'backdoor' for pariah regimes By Nikolaj Nielsen-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, 20. Apr, 14:43-MEPs who want to circumvent public scrutiny when dealing with foreign regimes and governments are setting up so-called friendship groups.These unregulated bodies have mushroomed over the years, causing headaches for official MEP delegations, while giving shady government figures a valuable lobbying foothold inside the European Parliament.Friendship groups do not represent the European Parliament - but are sometimes quoted in local media as if they had official status, including views that can contradict official parliament lines.The issue has become so contentious that internal moves are underway to try to impose some sense of order. Earlier this year, parliament president Antonio Tajani received a letter, seen by this website, which demanded a better code of conduct rules and sanctions.It stated, among other things, that friendship groups risk conflict of interests, inappropriate behaviour, and damage to "the image and the prestige" of European Parliament.The letter was co-drafted by the head of the conference of delegation chairs, Spanish socialist MEP Ines Ayala Sender, and German centre-right MEP David McAllister who leads the committee for foreign affairs.It listed over 40 groups, ranging from pariah governments in Azerbaijan to Turkey. One of the more bizarre outfits, which is not listed, is the Judea and Samaria group. Its members count far right nationalists like Dutch MEP Marcel de Graaf and was co-founded by Yoss Dagan, who heads a virulently pro-Israeli lobby group.Among its big objectives is to "stop funding of Palestinian terrorism from the European Union budget".Its chair and fellow founder, Czech MEP Petr March, earlier this year introduced a resolution in the EU parliament in a doomed bid to get Jerusalem recognised as the capital of Israel.-Qatar, Bahrain, Morocco, Israel-People who support such groups claim that they offer a valuable conduit in the hopes of opening up greater diplomatic channels. They also say that the groups are billed to increase cultural understanding, promote values, and better inform the public.But when EUobserver asked a number of MEPs to therefore discuss them, they were either "too busy" or never responded.Romanian centre-right MEP Ramona Manescu, however invited this reporter, among others, on a government-financed trip to Qatar at the end of April to discuss "EU-Qatar relations, human rights, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup." Manescu also chairs the group for Lebanon.Three years ago, Italian socialist Pier Antonia Panzeri, who at the time led the chair of the conference of delegation chairs, raised similar complaints with European parliament president Martin Schulz. Nothing was done."These friendship groups have been used and are used today by these countries in order to avoid having formal relations with the institutional body," he told EUobserver earlier this week.He also said more serious issues like human rights are skirted or whitewashed.Such informal groups, under the parliament's own rules of procedure, "may not engage in any activities, which might result in confusion with the official activities of parliament or its bodies."It means major issues like trade, politics, security, are generally off the table.Ivo Vajgl, a Slovenian liberal MEP, chairs the friendship group for Bahrain and is planning his first trip to the country sometime this year.His office told this website that friendship groups seeks to promote a better understanding of the country in question to the wider public and to other MEPs. But when pressed, his office was also unable to give details."We don't have a website, it is quite informal let's say, between the members who are part of the friendship group, we don't communicate a lot, we don't have a website," it said.Some others are more public.French socialist MEP Gilles Pargneaux chairs the EU-Morocco friendship group and takes a pro-government position on the disputed territory of the Western Sahara to the contentious EU fishery and agricultural agreements with Rabat.Last year he drafted a letter to the EU's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini pushing for even closer economic and commercial relations with Morocco. He then posted the letter onto the EU-Morocco friendship group website.The group, set up in 2011, has cultivated close ties with Morocco and has gained high-level access to government officials.When it visited Laayone, the biggest city in the disputed Western Sahara territory, in 2015 and 2016, they were quoted as representing a "European delegation." Pargneaux himself described it as a "trans-partisan delegation of European deputies."But those visits took place in a politically-charged context given that the European Court of Justice, in December 2015, had annulled a 2012 EU Morocco agreement over the Western Sahara.According to Morocco's ambassador to the European Union, Ahmed Chami, the friendship group is not financed by his government."The main objective, is to promote relationships, to explain more about Morocco, to do some cultural events, these are the underlying objectives of these groups," he told this website.Pargneaux, for his part, did not respond to repeated requests for comment.His financial interest declaration says in 2016 he received monthly payments for "occasional educational activities," around the same time he reportedly took over as head of the British International School in Casablanca.
MIGRATING BIRDS IN ISRAEL EATS HUMANS FLESH FOR COMING AGAINST ISRAEL-JERUSALEM
EZEKIEL 39:11-12,18
11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog (RUSSIA/ARAB/MUSLIMS) a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers (EAST OF THE DEAD SEA IN JORDAN VALLEY) on the east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog (RUSSIAN) and all his multitude:(ARAB/MUSLIM HORDE) and they shall call it The valley of Hamongog.(BURIEL SITE OF THE 300 MILLION,RUSSIAN/ARAB/MUSLIMS)
12 And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land.(OF ISRAEL)
16 And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah. Thus shall they cleanse the land.(OF THE ISRAEL-GOD HATERS)
EZEKIEL 39:17-21
17 And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; Speak unto every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood.(OF RUSSIAN/ISLAMIC HORDES AGAINST ISRAEL)
18 Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan.
19 And ye shall eat fat till ye be full, and drink blood till ye be drunken, of my sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you.
20 Thus ye shall be filled at my table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord GOD.
21 And I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them.
22 So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward.
REVELATION 19:17-18
17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;(AGAINST ALL NATIONS ARMIES THAT COME AGAINST JERUSALEM AND ISRAEL)
18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
EZEKIEL 38:1-7
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog,(RULER) the land of Magog,(RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech (MOSCOW) and Tubal,(TOBOLSK) and prophesy against him,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog,(LEADER OF RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW) and Tubal:TOBOLSK)
4 And I (GOD) will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws,(GOD FORCES THE RUSSIA-MUSLIMS TO MARCH) and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:
5 Persia,(IRAN,IRAQ) Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
6 Gomer,(GERMANY) and all his bands; the house of Togarmah (TURKEY) of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.(AFRICAN MUSLIMS,SUDAN,TUNESIA ETC)
7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
EZEKIEL 39:1-8
1 Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog,(LEADER OF RUSSIA) and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech (MOSCOW) and Tubal: (TUBOLSK)
2 And I will turn thee back,(RUSSIA-ARAB MUSLIM ISRAEL HATERS) and leave but the sixth part of thee,(5/6TH OR 300 MILLION DEAD RUSSIAN/ARAB/MUSLIMS I BELIEVE) and will cause thee to come up from the north parts,(RUSSIA) and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:
3 And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand.
4 Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands,( ARABS) and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.
5 Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.
6 And I will send a fire on Magog,(NUCLEAR ATOMIC BOMB) and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD.
7 So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.
8 Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord GOD; this is the day whereof I have spoken.
Syrian rebels withdraw from enclave northeast of Damascus-[Reuters]-By Tom Perry and Suleiman Al-Khalidi-YAHOONEWS-April 23, 2018
BEIRUT/AMMAN (Reuters) - Syrian rebels began withdrawing from an enclave northeast of Damascus on Saturday and will go to northern Syria, state TV and a rebel official said, in a surrender agreement that marks another victory for President Bashar al-Assad.The withdrawal will restore state control over the eastern Qalamoun enclave, some 40 km (25 miles) from Damascus.Assad, backed by Russia and Iran, is seeking to wipe out the last few rebel enclaves near Damascus, building on momentum from the defeat of the insurgency in eastern Ghouta, which had been the last major opposition stronghold near the capital.The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons said a fact-finding mission collected samples on Saturday at an eastern Ghouta site where an alleged chemical weapons attack took place on April 7. The mission arrived in Damascus a week ago.France and the United States have accused Russia of obstructing access to the site, where medical relief agencies say dozens of people were killed. The alleged attack led rebels to give up the last town they held in eastern Ghouta.Russia and Damascus say the attack, which triggered Western missile strikes on Syria, was fabricated.State TV said rebel fighters and their families would be transported from eastern Qalamoun to Idlib and Jarablus, a rebel-held territory at the border with Turkey, with 3,200 militants and their families expected to leave on Saturday.The spokesman for one of the rebel groups in eastern Qalamoun said the insurgents had agreed to the deal after intensified Russian shelling killed six people in areas near the town of al-Ruhaiba earlier this week."This made the Free (Syrian) Army factions sit at the negotiating table with the Russian side and an agreement was reached the most important articles of which are the surrender of heavy weapons and the departure of fighters to the north," Said Seif of the Ahmad Abdo Martyr brigade said.A first convoy of 10 buses had left Ruhaiba and was being searched in a nearby area before continuing to the north.-HUMANITARIAN SITUATION-Meanwhile, the Syrian military and its allies pressed the bombardment of a besieged enclave south of Damascus.State TV footage showed clouds of smoke rising from the al-Hajar al-Aswad district, part of an enclave including the Palestinian Yarmouk camp that is held by Islamic State and other jihadist groups.A commander in the regional military alliance that fights in support of Assad said jihadist positions were being targeted with all types of weapons. "Daesh positions are being targeted by Syrian army helicopters," the commander added, using an acronym for Islamic State.UNRWA, the U.N. agency that cares for Palestinian refugees, has said it is deeply concerned about the fate of civilians including some 12,000 Palestinian refugees in Yarmouk and the surrounding areas."Displacement continues with people moving to the neighboring area of Yalda ... to escape the fighting. Some families are staying in Yarmouk, either because they cannot move due to the intensity of fighting or because they choose to remain," UNRWA spokesman Chris Gunness said."We don't have any numbers on how many people have moved but the humanitarian situation of those in both Yarmouk and Yalda is intolerable."Although the conquest of eastern Qalamoun and the enclave south of Damascus will leave just one remaining besieged rebel enclave, north of the city of Homs, large parts of Syria at the borders with Jordan, Israel, Turkey and Iraq remain outside Assad's control, however.Anti-Assad rebels hold a chunk of territory in the southwest and the northwest, and Kurdish-led militias, backed by the United States, control an expanse of northern and eastern Syria.(Reporting by Tom Perry and Laila Bassam in Beirut and Suleiman al-Khalidi in Amman and Maria Kiselyova in Moscow and Toby Sterling in Amsterdam; Writing by Tom Perry, Editing by William Maclean and Alexander Smith)
Chemical weapons watchdog: inspectors have samples from Douma-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-April 23, 2018
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - A team of inspectors from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) visited a site in Douma, Syria on Saturday to collect samples as it tries to determine whether such weapons were used there on April 7, the agency said.In a statement, the OPCW said it would now evaluate and consider whether the team needs to make a second visit to Douma.Samples will be transported back to the Netherlands and onward to the organization's network of designated labs for analysis.Based on the analysis of the sample results as well other information and materials collected by the team, the mission would compile a report and submit it to the organization's member states, the statement said.The OPCW has been investigating use of toxic chemicals in Syria's civil war since 2014. Inspectors had been trying to reach Douma for several days but were delayed after an advance security detail was fired upon on April 17.The OPCW team will attempt to determine whether chemical weapons were used and if so, which. It is not mandated to conclude which side in the conflict used them.(Reporting by Toby Sterling; editing by Andrew Roche)
Turkey's Erdogan says emergency rule good for economy as stops terrorism, strikes-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-April 23, 2018
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Businesses should welcome Turkey's state of emergency because it guards against terrorism and prevents workers from going out on strike, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday.Parliament this week voted to extend the state of emergency, introduced following a failed coup in July 2016, for a further three months. It is the seventh such extension of emergency rule, which lets Erdogan and the government bypass parliament in passing new laws and allows them to suspend rights and freedoms.The extensions have been roundly criticized by human rights groups and Turkey's Western allies. The country's main business lobby, TUSIAD, this week renewed its call for a swift end to emergency rule."The state of emergency only affects terrorists. Now it's preventing labor strikes, such as the Bursa strike, which we stopped right away. It's a struggle against terrorism," Erdogan said in a speech to the DEIK business lobby, which represents Turkey's private sector overseas."When our business people say the state of emergency should be lifted, it upsets us... We will continue extending it for the peace of our country, yes we will, for the 10th time if necessary."Earlier this year authorities stopped workers in the northwestern city of Bursa, home to the auto industry and a hub for textile manufacturing, from going out on strike.Under emergency rule, strikes, protests and displays of civil disobedience can be shut down on security grounds.Erdogan this week set snap presidential and parliamentary elections for June, bringing them forward by more than a year in a shock move that may have left the opposition ill-prepared to credibly challenge him.The United States this week said it had concerns about Turkey's ability to hold free and fair elections under emergency rule, comments that Ankara dismissed.The United Nations last month called for an end to the state of emergency, saying it had led to "massive and serious" human rights violations in largely Kurdish southeastern Turkey, including killings and torture.Turkey slammed that report as rife with unfounded allegations. Ankara says its measures are necessary, given the severity of the security threats it faces.More than 160,000 people have been detained since the failed coup and a similar number of civil servants sacked from their jobs, the United Nations has said. Scores of media outlets have been shut and journalists and activists have been detained.(Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Gareth Jones)
Iran vows 'expected and unexpected' moves if U.S. exits nuclear deal-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-April 23, 2018
DUBAI (Reuters) - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday Iran's atomic agency was ready with "expected and unexpected" reactions if the United States pulls out of a multinational nuclear deal, as U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to do."Our atomic energy organization is fully prepared ... for actions that they expect and actions they do not expect," Rouhani said, without elaborating in a speech carried by state television, referring to a possible decision by Trump to leave the accord next month.The deal reached between Iran, the United States and five other world powers put curbs on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.Trump has called the agreement one of the worst deals ever negotiated. In January he sent an ultimatum to Britain, France and Germany, saying they must agree to fix what the United States sees as the deal's flaws or he would refuse to extend the critical U.S. sanctions relief that it entails.U.S. disarmament ambassador Robert Wood said on Thursday Washington had been having "intense" discussions with European allies ahead of the May 12 deadline, when U.S. sanctions against Iran will resume unless Trump issues new waivers to suspend them.Iran has said it will stick to the accord as long as the other parties respect it, but will "shred" the deal if Washington pulls out."Iran has several options if the United States leaves the nuclear deal. Tehran's reaction to America's withdrawal of the deal will be unpleasant," Iranian state TV quoted Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif as saying in New York.FOREIGN EXCHANGE-Rouhani said his government intended to prevent instability in the foreign exchange market after a possible Washington exit from the nuclear accord when the central bank this month slapped controls on markets."This was a preventative blow against any American decision on May 12. They fully hoped to ... cause chaos in the (foreign exchange) market. I promise to the people that the plot of the enemy has been thwarted, and whether or not the nuclear deal remains in effect, we will have no problem," Rouhani said.On April 9, Iran moved to formally unify the country's official and open market exchange rates and banned money changing outside of banks, after its currency, the rial, plunged to an all-time low on concerns over a return of crippling sanctions.SOCIAL MEDIA-Rouhani, a pragmatic cleric who has advocated expanding social freedoms, criticized moves by his powerful hardline opponents to restrict access to social media, including blocking access to the popular messaging app Telegram."Some people dislike social media, and don't like people to have information, and they say people sleep better if they are totally uninformed," Rouhani said, without naming anyone.Iranian media said this week that government bodies were banned from using Telegram after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's office said his account would shut down to protect national security.In January, Iran temporarily blocked Telegram, with an estimated 40 million users in Iran, as security forces sought to contain anti-government protests in more than 80 cities.Many Iranians kept accessing Telegram then, using virtual private networks (VPNs) and other tools to bypass government filtering.(Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by Andrew Bolton)
N. Korea, setting stage for talks, halts nuclear, ICBM tests-[Associated Press]-KIM TONG-HYUNG and ERIC TALMADGE-YAHOONEWS-April 23, 2018
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea announced that it will suspend nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic missile launches ahead of its summits with Seoul and Washington, but stopped short of suggesting it has any intention of giving up its hard-won nuclear arsenal.The announcement, which sets the table for further negotiations when the summits begin, was made by leader Kim Jong Un at a meeting of the North Korean ruling party's Central Committee on Friday. It was reported by the North's state-run media early Saturday.Kim justified the suspension to his party by saying the situation around North Korea has been rapidly changing "in favor of the Korean revolution" since he announced last year that his country had completed its nuclear forces.He said North Korea has reached the level where it no longer needs underground testing or test-launching of ICBMs, and added that it would close its nuclear testing facility at Punggye-ri, which was already believed to have been rendered unusable due to tunnel collapses after the North's test of its most powerful bomb to date last year.The announcement is Kim's opening gambit to set the tone for summit talks with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, set for next Friday, and U.S. President Donald Trump, expected in late May or early June.Trump almost immediately responded with a tweet, saying, "This is very good news for North Korea and the World" and "big progress!" He added that he's looking forward to his summit with Kim.South Korea's presidential office also welcomed North Korea's announcement as "meaningful progress" toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Presidential official Yoon Young-chan said in a statement that the North's decision brightens the prospects for successful talks between Seoul, Pyongyang and Washington.Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe offered a more guarded reaction."What is crucial here ... is how this development is going to lead to the complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement of nuclear arms, weapons of mass destruction and missiles," he said. "And I will keep a close eye on that."Pyongyang residents, who have been largely kept in the dark about Kim's plans to meet Trump, gathered at subway stations, where newspapers are posted for the public, or around large screens in city plazas to see the reports.One resident, 34-year-old Son Kum Chol, said he read the news in the ruling party's newspaper. North Koreans are extremely cautious when speaking to the media, but Son told The Associated Press that the news made him feel the "future road will be brighter and prosperous."Some analysts believe Kim feels he is entering the summit negotiations from a position of strength and is hoping to achieve tacit recognition that his country is now a nuclear power. They believe he wants to engage in talks and make some concessions around the edges that would convince Washington and other countries to ease sanctions on his struggling economy.In his speech at the party meeting, Kim praised his nuclear policy as "a miraculous victory" achieved in just five years. A resolution passed after his speech also stressed that the country had successfully achieved its goals of obtaining a viable nuclear force and suggested it intends to keep that force.Using the acronym for North Korea's official name, it said the North would "never use nuclear weapons nor transfer nuclear weapons or nuclear technology under any circumstances unless there are nuclear threats and nuclear provocation against the DPRK.""This was a smart move by Kim," Vipin Narang, an associate political science professor and nuclear proliferation expert at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said in an email. "Although it largely formalizes previous pledges on the moratoria from last November and March, it still leaves a lot of wiggle room for circumventing the pledges in the future, and nothing in there is irreversible. And nothing in there mentions denuclearization, of any variety."Narang noted that North Korea has already conducted as many nuclear tests as Pakistan and India — six — and may indeed not need to conduct any more underground testing.Tossing out another nugget that could be used at the summits, Kim stressed at the party meeting his desire to shift the national focus to improving the country's economy, which has been hit hard by international sanctions and the "maximum pressure" strategy pushed by Trump.The announcement ends what had been an ominous silence from Pyongyang regarding the stunning diplomatic moves Kim has been making since the beginning of this year, including his summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping last month.It also gives the best idea yet of what Kim intends to bring with him in his summits with Moon and Trump.Seoul says Kim has expressed genuine interest in dealing away his nuclear weapons. But North Korea for decades has been pushing a concept of "denuclearization" that bears no resemblance to the American definition, vowing to pursue nuclear development unless Washington removes its troops from the peninsula.Some important items were also left off the North's resolution — such as midrange missile or space rocket launches — suggesting either that the North isn't willing to go that far or that it wants to wait and see how much it can gain by further concessions once actual talks begin.___Talmadge, the AP's Pyongyang bureau chief, reported from Tokyo.
Grassroots Liberals pressuring Trudeau government to be more progressive-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-April 23, 2018
HALIFAX — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is being pushed by backbenchers and grassroots Liberals to take a more progressive stance on issues such as pharmacare, prostitution and illegal drugs.The pressure came Friday during the first full day of the Liberals' national convention and it was motivated, at least in part, by a determination not to be outflanked by the NDP in the battle for progressive voters in next year's federal election.At the same time, however, Trudeau's ministers were applying some pressure of their own —urging party faithful to get out and sell the government's support for the controversial Trans Mountain pipeline expansion in the face of opposition from environmentalists, some Indigenous groups and British Columbia's NDP government.One resolution, proposed by the national caucus, calls for the country's universal health-care system to be expanded to include coverage of prescription drugs, echoing a call by the Commons health committee last week.Finance Minister Bill Morneau's most recent federal budget announced the creation of an advisory committee, headed by former Ontario health minister Eric Hoskins, to study the implementation of national pharmacare.But Oakville MP John Oliver, a member of the health committee, warned that the fight for pharmacare is not a done deal and he urged delegates to support the resolution to send a message to the Prime Minister's Office."I think it's so important that Liberals own this issue, we don't let the NDP own it. We need to own it as Liberals, it's got to come out of this convention as the No. 1 priority."New Democrats approved a resolution on national pharmacare at their recent convention.Oliver warned that "very powerful lobby groups", including the big pharmaceutical companies and insurance companies, will fight a universal pharmacare plan. And he said there will be "all kinds of other people resisting it" — not mentioning that Morneau himself initially talked about strictly providing drug coverage for Canadians who aren't already covered by private drug plans.Another resolution proposed by the caucus calls on the government to decriminalize simple possession and consumption of all illicit drugs, adopting a model similar to that used in Portugal where the emphasis is on getting drug users into treatment.New Democrats have adopted a similar resolution.Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor reiterated Friday that Canada and Portugal are very different countries. And she noted that Trudeau has been clear that legalizing recreational marijuana is as far as he's prepared to go in removing the criminal prohibition on drug use.But Toronto MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith urged grassroots Liberals not to take no for an answer."The government is committed to the grassroots, the government is committed to evidence and if we come out of this supporting (this resolution) I think the government will change its mind," he told the workshop.At another workshop, there was little evidence of support for a resolution calling for the decriminalization of prostitution, proposed by the party's youth commission.But Young Liberal president Mira Ahmad said it's very popular among youth delegates, who make up almost one third of the roughly 3,000 Liberals at the convention."Youth have a history of challenging the party status quo and pushing for progressive policies," she said after the workshop, conceding that "Some Liberals may not like it."Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould said the government is already considering decriminalization, among other options, for dealing with the sex trade.Wilson-Raybould also indicated that she's open to listening to arguments about decriminalizing all drugs, although she stressed her priority is cannabis, which is to be legalized this summer. However, she later clarified that "we are focused on cannabis and we are not moving forward on any other decriminalization."The clarification was in line with Petitpas Taylor, the lead minister on the drug file who was decidedly cool to the idea. She warned that decriminalization "is not the silver-bullet solution" to the opioid crisis.During a panel discussion on the environment and the economy, Environment Minister Catherine McKenna appealed to delegates to back the government's determination to see the Trans Mountain pipeline expanded. Getting bitumen from Alberta's oil sands to tidewater in B.C. is part of the balance the government is trying to strike, protecting the environment and reducing carbon emissions while still growing the economy, she argued."We have to stop the polarization," McKenna said."That's why I need you to stand up and support what we are doing to take action on climate change and also support projects that make sense in getting resources to market."Outside the convention, a handful of protesters denounced the pipeline and the government's environmental policy in general. And inside, Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr acknowledged that some Liberals are also likely uneasy about the pipeline."Within our party there will be those who think pipelines are not a great idea, but when they hear the arguments about the alternatives of moving the product by rail or by pipeline ... I think they will see the position that we have taken."Carr said he's not comfortable watching the Alberta and B.C. governments duke it out in public over the pipeline. But while he understands they're standing up for their provincial interests, he said the federal government has another priority."There is only one government of Canada. We will be accountable for protecting the interests of the entire nation."Joan Bryden and Keith Doucette, The Canadian Press.
Newfoundland celebrities roast town for rejecting rainbow crosswalk-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-April 23, 2018
SPRINGDALE, N.L. — Prominent Newfoundlanders are criticizing a town's rejection of a rainbow crosswalk sought by a high school group as a show of support for the LGBTQ community.Comedian Mark Critch and former Great Big Sea members Alan Doyle and Bob Hallett offered support for the Gender-Sexuality Alliance (GSA) at Indian River High School after Springdale, N.L., town council reportedly voted 4-3 against the crosswalk."If you're a LBGTQ kid in Springdale, please know that there are a whole lot of people in Newfoundland and Labrador that support you," tweeted Critch, anchor of CBC's "This Hour Has 22 Minutes.""Inclusion never divides. Your mayor is being a tool. You're awesome."Doyle, a successful solo artist and best-selling author, responded to Critch's tweet saying "Yes. Yes. And Yes."Hallett, a St. John's restaurateur, said he was "half tempted to drive out to Springdale and paint the crosswalk" himself in a tweet Friday morning.The Norwester newspaper reported that the GSA had asked that a crosswalk near the school could be painted in support of the LGBTQ community.Springdale town councillors refused to comment Friday. But the school's GSA issued a written statement via email that the council's rejection of its April 9 request isn't the end of the story.It said they are in the process of working together on the issue, which will come before council again on Monday.It said members appreciate the public's support but "negative comments and name-calling are not productive," and said the group is committed to a "respectful, informed discussion for the betterment" of the whole community."We enjoy our town of Springdale and have a good relationship with the mayor and town officials. We are ALL in the process of working together on this issue and are encouraged by the opportunity for further discussions," the group said."Thus far, those discussions have been very positive and we look forward to Monday's council meeting, where we will have the opportunity to provide further information and education to members on the concept of a rainbow crosswalk."Cheryl Gullage, communications director for the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District, said in a phone interview that the association is reserving further comment until after the matter is discussed with town officials.Earlier this spring, city council in Merritt, B.C., rejected a similar request from high school groups there. Community members subsequently offered other locations for the colourful symbol of inclusion.The Canadian Press.
Saudi women spend big on makeup, even if it's just a glimpse-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-April 23, 2018
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Green lipstick, blue lipstick and 40 shades of foundation to choose from are just some of the reasons 18-year-old Shahad al-Qahtani is excited about superstar Rihanna's makeup line debut in Saudi Arabia.Rihanna, known worldwide for her chart-topping songs and daring, provocative style, is wildly popular among the Saudi women coveting her new makeup line called "Fenty." Rihanna and other celebrities like Kim Kardashian who experiment boldly with their hair colour , makeup and clothes have become household names in Saudi Arabia, where fans can follow their every move on social media sites like Instagram and Snapchat.Their styles, however, stand in stark contrast to how most Saudi women dress in public. Many cover their faces and hair with black veils. Women in Saudi Arabia must also wear long, loose black robes, known as abayas, over their clothes in public."I've tried her brand in Dubai and I came here to buy the things that were sold out there," al-Qahtani said as she selected products to put in her shopping basket from Rihanna's Fenty line that launched Thursday in Sephora makeup stores across the kingdom.Al-Qahtani said she likes to experiment with her style and bold makeup choices at parties and weddings where women are segregated from men.Even though most women will cover their face and hair in public, makeup sales are one of the biggest spends among Saudi women. This is in part because of the increasing number of Saudi women joining the workforce who now have their own salaries to spend from.The kingdom's 32-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has also pushed through a number of sweeping social reforms in recent months curbing the influence of ultraconservatives. Religious police, for example, no longer patrol malls looking for signs of nail polish or women's faces showing.Unlike in many Western countries where more natural makeup looks are en vogue, women across Arab Gulf countries often lean toward bright, eye-catching makeup trends and accessories that offset the utilitarianism of black veils and abayas."As Gulf women, we love beautiful things. We don't need an occasion for it," said Najla Sultan bin Awwad, a mother of two in her 30s who started working for the first time last year at Sephora."We're in an era where women are basically not even leaving the house without fake eyelashes on. We've started opening up in the Gulf and you'll see women who cover their faces putting on colored contact lenses, eyelashes and drawing their eyeliner the way they want," said bin Awwad, who spoke from behind a face veil that showed her eyes rimmed with smoky eye shadow.Before working at Sephora, she said she used to spend nearly all her money on makeup."The reason my husband agreed to me working is because he sees how much I love makeup and how much I used to spend on it," she said, laughing.According to marketing research group Euromonitor International, rising employment rates, especially among women, have increased the affordability of beauty and personal care products, and encouraged consumers to spend more. Retail sales in Saudi Arabia on makeup rose from $410 million in 2012 to $576 million last year, said the report.In 2012, the late King Abdullah implemented a decision to allow women to work in cosmetic and lingerie stores. It paved the way for thousands of Saudi women to work. The decision was largely supported by the Saudi public, though ultraconservative clerics criticized the measure and said allowing women to work in stores would open the door to lasciviousness and sin.Previously, women who wanted to buy makeup or lingerie in Saudi Arabia would have to purchase these often personal and intimate products from an all-male staff of mostly lower-wage workers from the Philippines.It created for awkward encounters when, for example, a woman wanted to try on a new eye shadow or foundation, but couldn't lift her face veil in front of the salesman or allow him to touch her skin due to the country's Islamic mores governing gender segregation. Sifting through lingerie pieces and having a male employee suggest the right bra size wasn't any easier."We could never feel comfortable. It's hard to buy makeup when a man is trying it out for me, testing it on my hand or my face," said Haifa Alwathlan, who started working in clothing and makeup stores in Saudi Arabia soon after women were granted permission.She said since starting work at Sephora, not only has she learned how to apply her makeup better, but she's learned how to handle herself professionally."I'm the type who has a real temper. So when I started dealing with different types of people and customers, I learned how to manage my nerves," she said.Empowering more women to enter the workforce is seen as a necessary step toward strengthening the economy and creating millions of jobs for young Saudis who will be seeking employment in the coming years.To satiate the desires of young Saudis and to make the country more resilient in the face of lower oil prices, Prince Mohammed is trying to boost what citizens spend locally on entertainment and fun.He is also behind a decision to lift a ban on women driving, which will allow women to more easily get to work instead of having to rely on male relatives or costly personal drivers.Other reforms include the return of musical concerts and performances that were once unthinkable only a few years ago. The kingdom also recently held its first ever fashion week. Earlier this week, Saudi Arabia opened its first movie theatre , showing the blockbuster film "Black Panther" to a select audience. Tickets for the public are expected to go on sale in the coming days.Despite the new attractions and entertainment, al-Qahtani, who's still in college, said most of her monthly allowance is spent on makeup. Fenty would be this month's splurge."I really love the foundation, but of course not for every day. And I also really love this red lipstick and these other colours . And the highlighters are amazing. The brushes are nice, but not 'Wow'," she said.___Follow Aya Batrawy on twitter at HYPERLINK "https://twitter.com/ayaelb" and Malak Harb at HYPERLINK "https://twitter.com/malakharb"-Aya Batrawy And Malak Harb, The Associated Press.
India introduces death penalty for rape of young children-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-April 23, 2018
NEW DELHI — India's government on Saturday prescribed the death penalty for people convicted of raping children under 12 to help combat an increase in violent crime against women.An ordinance was approved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet and was being sent to the president for approval, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.The ordinance will require the approval of Parliament within six months in order to become law. But in the meantime, suspects can be prosecuted using the ordinance.The move follows widespread outrage over the recent rape and killing of an 8-year-old girl in India's Jammu-Kashmir state, the alleged rape of a girl by a ruling party lawmaker in Uttar Pradesh state and several other rape cases involving girls in the country.Many protesters expressed particular anger at India's ruling Hindu nationalist party for initially siding with the accused in the Kashmir case. The young victim was a Muslim and the accused are Hindus.A total of at least nine suspects, including a lawmaker from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and four police officials, have been arrested in the two cases reported recently from Jammu-Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh states.Violent crime against women has been on the rise in India despite tough laws enacted in 2013. In 2012, the fatal gang rape of a young woman in New Delhi triggered massive protests by hundreds of thousands to demand stricter rape laws in the country.The government enacted laws doubling prison terms for rapists to 20 years and criminalizing voyeurism, stalking and the trafficking of women. Indian lawmakers also voted to lower to 16 from 18 the age at which a person can be tried as an adult for heinous crimes.Abha Singh, a lawyer, said the government's move Saturday would deter men from committing crimes against women. But she urged the government to set a time frame for bringing suspects to justice as Indian courts are notorious for massive delays, with more than 30 million cases pending.She said that "the conviction rate in rape cases in India was only 28 per cent , implying that 72 out of 100 suspects are going unpunished."The Associated Press.
Sask. flu season kills more than 3 times as many people as previous year-[CBC]-YAHOONEWS-April 23, 2018
Saskatchewan's latest flu season saw more than three times as many deaths as the previous year, along with a 68.7 per cent increase in the overall number of flu sufferers.There were 13 deaths due to influenza from Sept. 1, 2017 to March 31 of this year, compared to four during a similar span a year previous, according to a provincial government report. Overall during that period there were 3,207 lab-confirmed cases of influenza, up from 1,901.People aged 20-64 made up the most cases, but people 65 and higher had the highest number of cases per capita.There were 80 outbreaks in long-term care facilities compared to 70 from last year.The report said 48 cases this season were considered severe, compared to 21 in 2016-17.Earlier in the flu season Dr. Denise Werker, deputy chief medical officer with the government of Saskatchewan, said the only oddity about this year's season is that both A and B strains are present.H3N2 predominant flu strain-The Ministry of Health confirmed the primary strain of this year's flu season was H3N2.In a statement they said, "Hospitalizations and deaths in the 2017-18 influenza season was similar to other years where H3N2 is the predominant strain."The statement also said, "2017-18 season was similar to 2007-08 season and earlier years where Influenza B started early."Flu season numbers for this year were recorded from Sept. 1 to March 31, whereas last year's numbers were recorded from Sept.1 to April 15.The number of cases are usually underestimated as not all people who seek medical care are tested for flu. Likewise, the number of cases for recent cases will likely increase as more lab results are accounted for, according to the report.
