KING JESUS IS COMING FOR US ANY TIME NOW. THE RAPTURE. BE PREPARED TO GO.
ISAIAH 28:14-19 (THIS IS THE 7 YR TREATY COVENANT OF DANIEL 9:27)
14 Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
18 And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
19 From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.
US offered to guard Jordan Valley, Palestinians say
Report comes as Kerry is set to present his framework agreement; Israel has rejected an international force in the past
American troops could guard the
border between a Palestinian state and Jordan, US Secretary of State
John Kerry reportedly proposed to Palestinian officials, amid
discussions of a security plan for a peace agreement between Israel and
the Palestinians.The
London-based pan-Arab daily A-Sharq al-Awsat on Monday quoted
Palestinian sources to the effect that the Americans had changed their
position, moving closer to Palestinian demands in the face of stiff
Palestinian resistance to the idea of a continued IDF presence on the
border.Israel insists on retaining a military
presence on the Jordanian border, giving the narrow country some
strategic depth and early warning on its eastern frontier, and has
rejected a previous American proposal to place an international force
there.Maj. Gen. (res.) Avi Mizrahi, a former commander of the IDF in West Bank,
said earlier this week that Israel’s security requires a security presence along the Jordan River.
“I wouldn’t rely on foreign forces,” he said.
“Our history shows that every time the deployment of international
forces was tried in one form or another, their output in the field was
not what we wanted. We need to rely on ourselves.”Channel 10 revealed last week that the
Palestinian negotiating team had rejected an American peace plan that
would involve an Israeli military presence along the Jordan Valley
highway, located five kilometers (three miles) from the Jordanian
border, after the establishment of a future Palestinian state.The Palestinian sources cited by Monday’s
A-Sharq al-Awsat report also indicated that Israel would maintain
intelligence devices along the border, but no soldiers.The newspaper quoted Palestinian Foreign
Minister Riyad al-Maliki as saying that the Palestinians could not take
an official stance until they received a formal letter from Washington
presenting Kerry’s plan.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is
determined to finish building a security fence along the border with
Jordan, a senior Israeli official previously told Maariv, a move Amman
sees as important to its own security as well. Israel is worried about
the proliferation, through Jordan, of arms to a future Palestinian
state, which Jerusalem has insisted remain demilitarized.In a reference to his demands that Israel
maintain a buffer zone in the Jordan Valley, Netanyahu said during a
Knesset address in October that Israeli negotiators “will have to
convince the Palestinians to adjust their demands to the circumstances
around us.”Israel must maintain a security presence in
the Jordan Valley “precisely as Yitzhak Rabin insisted,” Netanyahu told
the Knesset during a special session marking the 18th anniversary of the
late prime minister’s assassination. “What was vital then is even more
vital today, given the rise of Islamic extremism and Iran’s takeover of
territory we relinquished in the [South Lebanon] security zone and
Gaza.”
Israeli negotiators offered in October to
transfer sovereignty of the Jordan Valley to the Palestinian Authority,
which would in turn lease it back to Israel. Palestinian representatives
rejected the idea out of hand.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Statistics: Terror Attacks Increase As Talks Progress
Israel's
Security Agency (Shin Bet) statistics for November show dramatic
increase in attacks; numbers follow negotiation timeline.-By Tova Dvorin-First Publish: 12/23/2013, 5:14 PM-Israelnationalnews
Aftermath of Bat Yam bus bombing-Flash 90
Israel's
Security Agency (ISA or the Shin Bet)
statistics show that terror attacks are on the rise,
Maariv reported Monday. The cause: resumed peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA).The numbers for November 2013, which were released this week, show
the highest number of terror attacks this year: 167, up from 82 in
July. Senior Defense officials confirmed to the daily that the PA-Israel
talks have contributed to the upswing, along with internal unrest in the
PA and passive encouragement to the Arab population to stage a "popular
uprising." An unnamed source from the Israeli Defense Forces also alleged that
the military "will not recognize [the need for] a system to curb the
violence."He added that the IDF, which is working with the PA police force, is dedicated to "
continue
to thwart efforts [against terrorism] everywhere, including in the
refugee camps, and eliminate every terrorist infrastructure we
identify." Noted terror attacks in November included the
horrific stabbing of 19 year-old Eden Atias (z"l) and a staggering 55 attacks in the Jerusalem area - many of which involved Molotov cocktails. The attacks have been rising steadily as talks progress. While only
82 terror attacks were recorded for July, August saw 99 attacks,
September - 133, October - 139, and November - 167. December has seen its own share of terror attacks as well.On Sunday, a
bus bombing in Bat Yam left 1 injured; Hamas and Islamic Jihad
welcomed the bombing as a "response to the crimes of the occupation". That same day, Israeli police forces
thwarted a stabbing attempt at the Mishor Adumim junction.
Security officials also say
they expect another outbreak of terror in spring 2014, when the
discussions are set to either fail or produce an interim deal between
Israel and the PA.
Vandals desecrate Russian synagogue with pig’s head
Local Jews also find offensive phrase ‘Happy Tu B’Shevat, Jewish Pigs’ daubed on prayer house
By JTA
December 23, 2013, 2:04 pm
Shneor Segal, a Chabad rabbi who used to work
in Krasnodar and now serves as the chief Ashkenazi rabbi of Baku, said
the community has contacted police with the intention of filing criminal
charges against the unidentified perpetrators.Last month, a pig’s head was left on the
doorstep of a synagogue being built in Sevastopol, a Ukrainian port city
located 270 miles west of Krasnodar.
Israel to Abbas: No, Jesus was not a Palestinian
Foreign Ministry pans PA president’s ‘outrageous rewriting of Christian history,’ says he needs a hug from Santa
Israeli officials reacted with
bitter scorn to a Christmas message from Palestinian Authority President
Mahmoud Abbas in which he called Jesus a Palestinian and suggested
Israel was to blame for the exodus of Christians from the Holy Land.“He
should have read the Gospel before uttering such offensive nonsense,
but we will forgive him because he doesn’t know what he’s doing,”
Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor told The Times of Israel on
Monday. Abbas’s statement is an “outrageous rewriting of Christian
history,” according to Palmor.Earlier on Monday,
Abbas published a lengthy Christmas greeting,
calling Jesus “a Palestinian messenger who would become a guiding light
for millions around the world.” Although he expressed his commitment to
the peace negotiations with Israel, he expressed harsh criticism of
Israeli policies, including an accusation that Jerusalem is responsible
for the plight of Christians in the Holy Land.
“We celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem under
occupation,” Abbas wrote. “This Christmas Eve, our hearts and prayers
will be with the millions who are being denied their right to worship in
their homeland.” He called the security barrier an “annexation Wall,
which is stealing [Palestinians'] land and dooming their future.”
These rather unfriendly statements are “not
exactly in the spirit of Christmas,” Palmor, the Foreign Ministry
spokesman, said cynically. “Maybe he needs a hug from Santa?”Abbas also mentioned Palestinians “trapped
under siege” in Gaza, and “those who are prevented from worshiping in
Bethlehem. Our hearts and prayers are with the people of Al Dbayeh
Refugee Camp in Beirut, along with all of our Palestinian refugees —
Christians and Muslims uprooted from their hometowns in 1948 and who,
since that time, have suffered the vicissitudes of a forced exile.”Abbas said more Palestinians will celebrate
Christmas in Western cities than will do so in the city of Jesus’ birth.
“To them we say that Bethlehem is their town and Palestine is their
country. We will continue working tirelessly to give them the freedom to
decide where to spend Christmas.”
An Israeli
government official took offense particularly with the suggestion that
Israel has caused Christians to leave the Holy Land. “The exodus of
Christians from Bethlehem turned into a flood the moment the PA took
control,” the official said.But at least one Israeli official had some
warm words for Abbas’s holiday message: MK Hanna Swaid (Hadash), an Arab
Christian from the Galilee town of Eilaboun, backed up the message, if
not the facts, of Abbas’s missive.“What President Mahmoud Abbas said describes
the real situation — Palestinians, including Christians, are celebrating
Christmas and New Year’s Eve under Israeli occupation. That’s a fact,”
he said.Abbas’s Christmas message seemed to paper over
the fact that Christians in the PA are only a fraction of the Muslims
living in the West Bank and Gaza.“Christians are not a minority here: they are
an integral part of the Palestinian people,” Abbas wrote in his
Christmas message. “Orthodox, Catholics, Armenians, Assyrians,
Lutherans, Anglicans, Copts, Melkites, Protestants and others are all
part of the rich mosaic of this free, sovereign, democratic and
pluralistic Palestine we aspire to have.”According to the CIA World Factbook, Christians make up 8 percent of the population in the West Bank, and 0.7% of Gaza.
Swaid, 58, acknowledged that in reality
Christians are a minority among Palestinians, but noted that he
appreciated Abbas’s comments nonetheless. “If the president of a country
says so, he thinks and believes that to be the case,” Swaid said,
adding that Abbas meant to emphasize that Christians are an “integral
part” of Palestinian society.A third-term lawmaker,
Swaid this week tried unsuccessfully
to get the Knesset to erect a Christmas tree as a sign of tolerance and
inclusion of all of Israel’s minorities. “I tried to make Christians
feel integrated, but alas, my request was rejected. President Abbas,
without even asking us, said we’re an integral part of society. That’s a
welcome initiative.”
Hadash MK Hana Sweid (photo credit: Flash90)
Swaid said he was satisfied that Abbas chose
to highlight the fact that Palestinian society consists of Muslims and
Christians. “I am happy that President Abbas talked about the
differences and the pluralism of the Palestinian people,” he said.
Israeli Officer Injured in Terrorist Attack
An Israeli police officer was moderately injured in a stabbing attack near Jerusalem Monday afternoon.
By David Lev-First Publish: 12/23/2013, 5:38 PM-Israelnationalnews
Young Arab terrorists (illustrative-Israel news photo: Flash 90
An Israeli police officer was moderately injured in a stabbing attack Monday afternoon.
The officer was stabbed by an
Arab terrorist at the Adam checkpoint north of Jerusalem; he was treated at the scene and then taken for further
treatment at a Jerusalem hospital.IDF soldiers at the scene attempted to arrest the terrorist, but he
began running away. Soldiers and police opened fire on him, but he
managed to dodge the bullets. The terrorist was apprehended a few
minutes later and taken in for questioning.
Monday's attack takes place on the background of Sunday's terror attack in Bat Yam, where a
bomb exploded on a bus.No passengers were reported injured in that attack, but one police
officer with the bomb squad was wounded as he attempted to disarm the
device.A spokesperson for the Dan Bus Company said that there twelve
passengers on the bus when a passenger alerted the driver that there was
a suspicious object on board. The object was in a bag, which one of the
passengers opened. Noticing there were wires coming out of
the bag, the passenger alerted the driver,
who immediately evacuated the passengers.
Passengers on the bus attributed the fact that no one was killed to a
miracle. Police said that based on their initial investigation, the on
the number 240 bus from Bnai
Brak to Bat Yam was
conducted by Arab terrorists.
As both sides wait for Kerry, the refugee camps boil
In the West Bank, hotbeds of discontent seethe under weakening PA control, leading to attacks such as Sunday’s bus bombing
The explosion Sunday
on a bus in Bat Yam didn’t come as a surprise; far from it.The
territories are generally heating up, with the feeling that the
political process is going nowhere, the expanded building in the
territories, and the relatively high number of Palestinian fatalities in
clashes with the IDF — three last week in the West Bank and Gaza, and
28 from the beginning of the year in the West Bank — all amplifying the
unrest against Israel.Every week that goes by sees more and more
attack attempts, most of which are foiled by Israeli and Palestinian
security forces. But some of them are actually carried out, despite the
significant effort of the security apparatuses on both sides. Last week
Haaretz reported that Hamas had planned 80 different attacks since the
release of Gilad Shalit in October 2011, most of them directed by former
prisoners released in that deal who are living in Gaza or in places
like Turkey. That figure is compounded by the many attacks planned
either by other groups or by Palestinians acting independently.But in contrast to the string of independent
attacks that have taken the lives of five Israelis since the start of
2013, the Bat Yam bus bombing Sunday does not appear to be the private
initiative of Palestinians who decided on their own to kill Israelis.
This time, it appears, Israel is dealing with the product of an
organized, if not especially sophisticated, infrastructure — at least
based on what we can glean from the size and quality of the explosive
device used in the attack.
It is unclear at time of writing if the
attempted attack in Bat Yam is linked to Hamas or not, but the Islamist
organization, which
praised the bombing,
has an interest in an escalation of hostilities with Israel — though
only in the West Bank. In Gaza, where it is the governing power, Hamas
attaches almost paramount importance to protecting the relative quiet.Hamas doesn’t want progress in peace talks, and wouldn’t be happy over the news of a
framework agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, reportedly to be presented by the end of the month.The organization also senses the growing
ferment in the territories, especially inside the refugee camps. On the
one hand, this agitation is apparent during IDF operations, which
immediately draw out hundreds of residents into violent confrontations.
But it has also been directed at the Palestinian Authority, a trend that
was apparent over the weekend, when dozens of youths
took
to the streets and burned tires in Tulkarm in protest over the plans of
the PA and the municipality to put electric meters in the homes of the
residents (which can give exact electricity usage readings, and allows
users to be charged accordingly). The residents didn’t like the idea,
and resorted to demonstrations, blocking roads for hours.
At least some of the refugee camps have become
no-man’s-lands, with Palestinian security forces as well as the IDF
understanding that entering these places will inevitably lead to
complications.The Israeli security establishment’s criticism
of Palestinian security forces focuses mostly on the lack of meaningful
operations inside the camps, from where most of the warnings about
plans for attacks emanate. While in the big cities the PA has proven its
abilities and motivation, it seems that the price of friction with the
residents of the refugee camps has caused it to think long and hard
about dispatching forces there. This hesitation has grown so pronounced
that when this reporter visited the Balata refugee camp last weekend,
one of the claims heard was that the absence of Palestinian police had
facilitated a recent rise in crime.This week, a third group of veteran security
prisoners is slated to be released by Israel, as per its agreement with
the PA and the Americans. Judging from the reports on the Palestinian
side, it appears that the release will coincide, more or less, with US
Secretary of State John Kerry’s presentation of a framework agreement
for Israel and the PA. We wait to see whether these two developments
will have a calming effect, or if they will stir up the already-restive
territories.
I AGREE WITH THE POPE ON THIS HEADLINE.
12/23/2013 VATICAN INSIDER
Francis: “Make room for Jesus at Christmas instead of parties and shopping"
Francis: "At Christmas let our souls be expectant as Mary's is"
At his usual morning mass in St. Martha’s House, Pope Francis
reminded faithful that “the world does not end with us but with the Lord
and with Mother Church.” May “our soul be not one of those souls that
say, “Do not disturb!””
Domenico Agasso jr
Rome
At Christmas we should act as Mary does: make room
for Jesus’ arrival. We should focus on creating and saving space for
the Son of God who comes to save man instead of making Christmas a
noisy, money-spending affair. This was Francis’ message in St. Martha’s
House the day before Holy Night. The Lord visits his Church every day,
the Pope reminded faithful, before warning Christians not to let their
souls become closed. Christians must always be in waiting for the coming
of the Lord.Throughout the Advent season, the Church is like
Mary, awaiting a birth. The Virgin Mary felt just as all women feel when
they are expecting a child. She could feel inside her body and soul
that her son was on his way. As a Church “our soul is also in waiting,
this waiting for the coming of the Lord – an open soul that calls out,
‘Come, Lord.’”God comes twice, Francis said: “the first occasion
we commemorate now, it is his physical birth” and the second time is at
the end in order to complete this.But as St. Bernard says, there is also a third
birth: “There is a third coming of the Lord: that of every day. The Lord
visits His Church every day! He visits each of us, and so our souls as
well [experience something similar]: our soul resembles the Church, our
soul resembles Mary. The desert fathers say that Mary, the Church and
our souls are feminine, and that what is said about one can be said
analogously of the others. Our soul is also in waiting, this waiting for
the coming of the Lord – an open soul that calls out, ‘Come, Lord.’”The Holy Spirit moves each of us in these days to
make this prayer his own, and all throughout the Advent season the
Church has described herself as being in vigilant expectation – the
attitude that is the hallmark of the pilgrim. “We are pilgrims,” Francis
said.“Are we expectant, or are we [indifferent]?” the
Pope asked himself. “Are we vigilant, or are we closed up ‘safely’ in an
inn along the way, without desire to go forward? Are we pilgrims, or
are we vagabonds? For this reason, the Church invites us to pray,
‘Come!’ in order to open our soul and in order that our soul be, these
days, vigilant and expectant.”“Keep vigil!” was Francis key message today. “Be
mindful of the difference the Lord’s coming (or not) makes in us. Is
there a place for the Lord, or only for parties, for shopping, for
revelry ... Is our soul open, as is Holy Mother Church and as was the
Virgin Mary? Or is our soul rather closed, with a “Do Not Disturb!” sign
hung on the door to it?”“The world,” Pope Francis warned, “does
not end with us,” but with the Lord, with Our Lady and with Mother
Church. “So,” he said, “we do well to repeat [the invocation”: ‘O
Wisdom, O Key of David, O King of the nations, come!”
Francis concluded the mass by inviting
faithful to “repeat [the call] many times, ‘Come, Lord Jesus!’ and look
to see our soul be not one of those souls that say, “Do not disturb!”
No! Let ours be great souls – souls open to receive the Lord in these
days and that begin to feel that, which tomorrow the Church will speak
to us in the antiphon: ‘Know that today the Lord will come, and in the
morning you will see his glory!’
STORMS HURRICANES-TORNADOES
LUKE 21:25-26
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; 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)
Ice storm darkens much of Ontario, still hitting Maritimes
Dropping temperatures mean ice will linger
CBC News
Posted: Dec 23, 2013 6:18 AM ET
Last Updated: Dec 23, 2013 10:21 AM ET
Southern Ontario is dealing with the aftermath of an ice storm that
has left hundreds of thousands without power on Monday, while freezing
rain in the Maritimes threatens travel plans as Christmas approaches.
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford said early Monday morning that the worst is
over in the city, and he has not declared a state of emergency. However, there were still about 228,000 customers without power Monday morning and some may not have power until next weekend — well past Christmas.The Greater Toronto Area bore the brunt of the storm on Sunday with
between 10 and 30 millimetres of ice accumulation bringing down tree
limbs and power lines. Toronto Hydro hopes to restore some power today but warned people
should prepare to be in the dark for several days. The city has opened
nine warming centres and will open more as required.Utility spokeswoman Jennifer Link said the fallen trees and power
lines meant crews spent much of the first day focusing on safety. Power
has been restored to the city's water system and Toronto East General
Hospital, but Sunnybrook Hospital is expected to be on backup power
until this afternoon.
“We’ve got a lot of cleanup to do before we can even begin restoration work,” Link told CBC News Network.More than 100,000 other customers in a band from Hamilton to Kingston
were also estimated to still be in the dark Monday morning, according
to the province’s Hydro One.Environment Canada has forecast colder temperatures for central
Canada over the next several days, meaning the ice is likely here to
stay. Commuters are warned that untreated roads may be slippery, making
travelling difficult.Environment Canada also warned of light to moderate winds over the next few days, which could lead to falling tree branches.Temperatures in Toronto are expected to hit a high of -3 C Monday,
dropping to -10 C overnight and then set to stay below -9 C on Tuesday.
Airport delays
Passengers were stranded in airports from Toronto to St.
John's, N.L., during one of the busiest travel weekends, and delays and
cancellations may continue as the holidays approach.Several airlines, including Air Canada, are advising passengers to
check their flight status before heading to the airport. They are also
urging passengers to give themselves extra time in case of delays on the
road.In the Maritimes, dozens of flights at the region's four major
airports were delayed or cancelled on one of the busiest travel weekends
of the year. Freezing rain was falling in the Maritimes on Monday morning, and
moisture from a system moving up the eastern seaboard was expected to
feed into the storm that pushed in from Ontario and Quebec.
"There may even be some breaks [in precipitation] today before we
start to see that moisture feeding in and then ice pellets, freezing
rain, snowfall coming back in to the Maritimes," said CBC meteorologist
Colette Kennedy. "There’s still plenty of this to go and it’s going to
be a very, very tricky day there."CBC reporter Catherine Harrop said from Fredericton that three areas — Fredericton, St. Stephen, and Rothesay — are dealing with power outages that could last into the evening.“The roads across New Brunswick are either snow covered or ice
covered and people are being warned to stay off them if you don’t have
to go out today, and certainly travelling home or to another province
for the holidays is not recommended,” she said.
Weather warnings in Quebec
Quebec also dealt with stormy weather over the weekend, and it
was suspected to have been a factor in four fatal highway accidents
throughout the province.There are still winter storm warnings in effect on Quebec's
Gaspé Peninsula, and a freezing rain warning in the Eastern Townships.Meanwhile, Via Rail warned commuters to expect delays on its routes
between Toronto and Montreal, as well as between Halifax and Montreal,
but said its schedules will be operating regularly.With files from The Canadian Press
1 hour ago-DEC 23,13-yahoonews
London (AFP) - Heavy rain and high winds lashed western parts
of Britain on Monday, hitting travel plans as people headed home for
the Christmas holidays.The Met Office, Britain's national forecaster,
issued amber warnings for rain -- the second most severe level -- for
much of the southern half of England and Wales.
Train companies
reduced or cancelled some services and drivers were warned of difficult
conditions on motorways because of excess surface water."The disruption to transport could be quite severe," said Met Office forecaster Emma Compton said.Strong
winds forced the closure of the Dartford crossing bridge, a key link in
the main M25 motorway around London, which was set to cause congestion
on one of Britain's busiest roads.The Met Office warned that flooding was possible in southwest England as heavy rain fell on already saturated ground.Rail operators were bracing for disruption, putting hundreds of engineers on standby to help clear potential debris from tracks.Some
of the busiest lines, such as the one linking London and Birmingham in
central England, were forced to operate under speed restrictions because
of the conditions.But Eurostar train services linking Britain with France and Belgium were unaffected and flights were operating as normal.The high winds did affect London's Winter Wonderland, a miniature theme park and Christmas market in Hyde Park.The attraction said it was forced to close for the day for safety reasons.
Rain
and winds were also battering Ireland, where more than 5,000 telephone
landlines were put out of action over the weekend by high winds.
By HOLLY RAMER
4 hours ago-DEC 23,13-yahoonews
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — After the first full day of winter
brought everything from balmy temperatures along the Mid-Atlantic to
snow in the Midwest and ice, snow and flooding in the Great Lakes, some
people could be left in the dark for Christmas.Much of the foul weather that occurred Sunday has
lessened or disappeared entirely, but the harsh aftereffects were
expected to linger.Brad Hoving, a meteorologist with the National
Weather Service in Grand Rapids, Mich., said most people were without
power in some counties between Grand Rapids and Lansing, Mich. Some may
not have electricity until Wednesday or even Thursday, he said."It's
a big deal," Hoving said. "It's Christmas and we've just had a major
ice storm," with trees toppling over and ice-covered power lines.By
late Sunday, ice and snow had knocked out power to 440,000 homes and
businesses in Michigan, upstate New York and northern New England —
about half of whom had their power back by early Monday. The storm also
left more than 400,000 customers without electricity in eastern Canada.At
least nine deaths in the U.S. were blamed on the storm, including five
people killed in flooding in Kentucky and a woman who died after a
tornado with winds of 130 mph struck in Arkansas. Five people were
killed in Canada in highway accidents related to the storm.By late Sunday, nearly 700 flights nationwide had been canceled
and about 7,200 were delayed, according to aviation tracking website
FlightAware.com. But flights were mostly running on schedule on Monday
morning.
During one of the nation's busiest travel times, icy
weather was expected to make roads slick and hazardous through at least
Monday from the upper Midwest to northern New England.Record high
temperatures were reached in some Mid-Atlantic states this weekend, but
temperatures were expected to drop back to the mid-30s by Monday night.On
Sunday, the mercury reached 70 degrees in New York's Central Park,
easily eclipsing the previous high of 63 from 1998. Records were also
set in Wilmington, Del., (67), Atlantic City, N.J., (68), and
Philadelphia (67). Washington tied its 1889 mark at 72.The scene
was much more seasonal Sunday in Vermont, where Lynne White of West
Charleston listened to the cracking of falling tree branches and gazed
at the coating of ice on her home."It's actually really pretty," she said. "Not safe, I'm sure, but it's pretty."Heavy
snow in Wisconsin forced dozens of churches to cancel Sunday services.
Milwaukee got about 9 inches and Manitowoc, 7. Ice and snow in Oklahoma
were blamed for three traffic deaths on slick roads.In New York's
St. Lawrence County, almost 2 inches of ice had accumulated by early
Sunday, coating tree limbs and power lines, and a state of emergency was
declared to keep the roads clear of motorists.
"It's a big party
weekend ... before Christmas," county dispatch operations supervisor Jim
Chestnut said. "This put a little bit of a damper onto that."Despite
a glaze of freezing rain in Maine, plenty of shoppers ventured to the
outlet malls in Kittery on the last weekend before Christmas.In
Canada, crews struggled to restore service to those without power in
Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick. Toronto Mayor Rob Ford called the
storm one of the worst in the city's history. Passengers were stranded
at airports from Toronto to St. John's, Newfoundland.In Kentucky,
five people were killed in flooding caused by the storm system. The
bodies of three people were pulled from Rolling Fork River on Sunday
after their vehicle was swept away by floodwaters, a fourth person
drowned in Carroll County after a four-wheeler overturned in high water
and a body was discovered in Ballard County near a car abandoned in a
flooded ditch.In Arkansas, authorities said a woman was killed
after an EF2 tornado with winds of about 130 mph struck in St. Francis
County on Saturday. A man found in a field was hospitalized in serious
condition, while the woman's 3-year-old granddaughter and 25-year-old
daughter were treated at a hospital.In Ohio, heavy rains left
many low-lying roads and highways blocked. In Findlay, located 47 miles
south of Toledo, the Blanchard River rose 12 feet since Friday to major
flood-stage levels.___Associated
Press writers Mary Esch in Albany, N.Y., Bruce Shipkowski in Trenton,
N.J., Ken Miller in Oklahoma City, David Goodman in Detroit, Rick
Callahan in Indianapolis and Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis contributed
to this report.
ISAIAH 17:1,11-14
1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
11 In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish: but the harvest shall be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow.
12 Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations,(USELESS U.N) that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters!
13 The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.
14 And behold at evening tide trouble; and before the morning he is not.(ASSAD KILLED IN OVERNIGHT RAID) This is the portion of them that spoil us,(ISRAEL) and the lot of them that rob us.
AMOS 1:5
5 I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden:(IRAQ) and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir,(JORDAN) saith the LORD.
JEREMEIAH 49:23-27
23 Concerning Damascus.(SYRIA) Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the sea;(WAR SHIPS WITH NUKES COMING ON SYRIA) it cannot be quiet.
24 Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail.
25 How is the city of praise not left, the city of my joy!
26 Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD of hosts.
27 And I will kindle a fire (NUKES OR BOMBS) in the wall of Damascus, and it shall consume the palaces of Benhadad.(ASSADS PALACES POSSIBLY IN DAMASCUS)
PSALMS 83:3-7
3 They (ARABS,MUSLIMS) have taken crafty counsel against thy people,(ISRAEL) and consulted against thy hidden ones.
4 They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
5 For they (MUSLIMS) have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:(TREATIES)
6 The tabernacles of Edom,(JORDAN) and the Ishmaelites;(ARABS) of Moab, PALESTINIANS,JORDAN) and the Hagarenes;(EGYPT)
7 Gebal,(HEZZBALLOH,LEBANON) and Ammon,(JORDAN) and Amalek;(SYRIA,ARABS,SINAI) the Philistines (PALESTINIANS) with the inhabitants of Tyre;(LEBANON)
36 minutes ago-DEC 23,13-Yahoonews
Beirut (AFP) - Syrian warplanes have killed more than 300
people, including 87 children, in an eight-day bombing campaign in the
second city of Aleppo a month before planned peace talks.The vicious air campaign has seen regime aircraft
drop barrels of TNT onto rebel-held neighbourhoods -- a tactic widely
condemned as unlawful -- flooding hospitals with victims, according to
activists, medics and other witnesses.
The attacks come as
President Bashar al-Assad's forces have advanced on several fronts in
recent weeks while Western nations have been preoccupied with Syria's
chemical disarmament and preparing for January peace talks."From
December 15 to 22, 301 people have been killed, including 87 children,
30 women and 30 rebels," said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a
Britain-based group which relies on a network of activists and
witnesses on the ground.It added later that five more people,
including three children, were killed in a new attack on the district of
Marjeh, in southeastern Aleppo.Activists released what they said
was footage of a school targeted in the village of Marea near Aleppo.
Children can be seen running from the school and screaming as loud
explosions rumble in the background.Opponents
of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad say the bombing is aimed at
demoralising their supporters and turning them against the insurgents.
A
security source told AFP on Monday that the army had adopted the tactic
because of a lack of ground forces, and argued that the heavy civilian
toll was because the rebels -- branded "terrorists" by the regime -- are
based in residential areas.Aleppo, the country's second city and
former commercial hub, has been split between opposition and government
forces since a massive rebel assault in the summer of 2012.Human
Rights Watch has accused government forces of using weapons and tactics
that fail to distinguish between civilians and combatants, making such
attacks "unlawful".On Sunday the main opposition National Coalition called on Western states to impose a no-fly zone to halt such attacks."Until
Assad's warplanes are stopped, the humanitarian disaster, regional
instability and the rise of extremism will only continue to get worse,"
said Munzer Aqbiq, an adviser to the Coalition's president.'There are no more red lines'The
government has advanced on several fronts in recent weeks in an
apparent attempt to strengthen its hand ahead of peace talks to be held
in Switzerland next month.The UN-backed initiative is aimed at
building on the momentum of a deal to eradicate Syria's vast chemical
arsenal by mid-2014, which averted punitive US strikes after an August
gas attack near Damascus killed hundreds of people.But analysts argue US President Barack Obama's failure to act
after Assad allegedly crossed his "red line" against using chemical
weapons has emboldened the regime, while the chemical arms accord has
made Assad a vital partner in his own disarmament."There are no
more red lines, there is a green light," Salman Shaikh, the director of
the Brookings Doha Center, told AFP, saying there is an "element of
vengeance" in the fierce bombing of Aleppo."Any credible of use of force was taken off the table by Obama and the international community."
The
so-called Geneva 2 talks are intended to get the government and the
opposition to agree on a political transition to end the civil war,
which has claimed an estimated 126,000 lives since March 2011 and
displaced millions of people.But the increasingly fractured opposition has said Assad must step down as part of any deal, a demand rejected by Damascus.And
several powerful rebel groups have rejected the peace talks altogether,
raising concerns that even if the two sides reach an agreement the
opposition would be unable to enforce it on the ground.Syria's
uprising began as a series of peaceful pro-democracy protests nearly
three years ago but escalated into a full-blown civil war after Assad's
regime launched a brutal crackdown on dissent.
GENESIS 16:11-12
11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael;(ARAB/MUSLIM) because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
12 And he will be a wild man;(RIOTS-BURNING-MURDEROUUS RAGE) his hand will be against every man,(ISLAM WANTS WORLD DOMINATION) and every man's hand against him;(DEFENDING THEMSELVES) and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.(ARAB/MUSLIMS LIVE WITH ISRAELIS)
ISAIAH 33:1,18-19 Woe to thee that spoilest,(destroys) and thou wast not spoiled;(destroyed) and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! when thou shalt cease to spoil,(destroy) thou shalt be spoiled;(destroyed) and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee.
18 Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? where is the receiver? where is he that counted the towers?
19 Thou shalt not see a fierce people, a people of a deeper speech than thou canst perceive; of a stammering tongue, that thou canst not understand.
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 THEIR MOON GOD ALLAH)
4 hours ago-DEC 23,13-yahoonews
London (AFP) - British retailer Marks & Spencer faced
criticism on Monday after it emerged that it allows Muslim staff to
refuse to sell customers pork and alcohol.More than 8,000 people have signed up to a Facebook
page calling for a boycott of the chain after an "extremely apologetic"
Muslim checkout worker told a customer they would have to wait for
another employee to sell them a bottle of champagne.M&S,
which is Britain's biggest clothing retailer as well as selling food and
homeware, said that when employees have religious beliefs that restrict
what foods or drinks they can handle it tries to place them in a
"suitable role"."We regret that in the case highlighted we were not following our own internal policy," a company spokeswoman said."As
a secular business we have an inclusive policy that welcomes all
religious beliefs whether across our customer or employee base."But the "Boycott Marks and Spencer" Facebook page said the policy was an affront to "common sense".The issue emerged after an unnamed customer told the Daily
Telegraph newspaper the worker had refused to sell them champagne at a
London store and that they would have to wait for another till to become
available."I was taken aback," the customer told the newspaper. "I was a bit surprised. I've never come across that before."Drinking alcohol and pork consumption are forbidden in Islam.The
row highlighted differences among British retailers' policies on
whether staff should be allowed to refuse to sell certain products on
religious grounds.Like M&S, supermarket chains Asda,
Morrisons and Tesco said Muslim staff would not have to work on the
tills if they objected to handling specific products.But the head of high street retailer John Lewis said staff should not have the right to refuse to serve customers."This is taking it one stage beyond common sense," managing director Andy Street told BBC radio.
By DANIEL ESTRIN
December 22, 2013 6:04 AM
JERUSALEM (AP) — Senior Israeli officials on Sunday demanded
an end to U.S. spying on Israel, following revelations that the National
Security Agency intercepted emails from the offices of the country's
top former leaders.It
was the first time that Israeli officials have expressed anger since
details of U.S. spying on Israel began to trickle out in documents
leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. The scandal also spurred
renewed calls for the release of Jonathan Pollard, a former American
intelligence analyst who has been imprisoned in the U.S. for nearly
three decades for spying on behalf of Israel."This thing is not
legitimate," Israeli Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz told Israel
Radio. He called for both countries to enter an agreement regarding
espionage."It's quite embarrassing between countries who are
allies," Tourism Minister Uzi Landau said. "It's this moment more than
any other moment that Jonathan Pollard (should) be released."Documents
leaked by Snowden and published in The Guardian, Der Spiegel and The
New York Times last week revealed that British intelligence agency GCHQ
worked with the NSA from 2008-2011 to target email addresses belonging
to the offices of then-serving Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and
Defense Minister Ehud Barak.Amir Dan, a spokesman for Olmert,
played down the revelations. He said the email address targeted was one
meant for queries from the public and was not used for sensitive
communications. "There is no chance there was a security or intelligence
breach caused from this email address," Dan said.Barak could not immediately be reached for comment.But
top Israeli officials work on the assumption that they are being
monitored. Officials use special secure lines for certain types of
communications, and for the most sensitive matters, issues are discussed
only face to face in secure rooms.
Even so, Israeli officials reacted with uncharacteristic anger toward the U.S., Israel's closest and most important ally.Lawmaker
Nachman Shai, a member of the parliamentary foreign affairs and defense
committee, which deals with intelligence matters, called for an urgent
intelligence briefing on the reported spying.Shai called for a "full report about what we know, what we have done, and just to find out."
He
added that he was "really surprised that my government, which is very
easily responsive on any given issue, on this we keep silent, which is
not the right policy and right behavior."Espionage is a sensitive subject between Israel and the U.S. because of the Pollard affair.Pollard,
a former civilian intelligence analyst, was sentenced to life in prison
in 1987 for passing classified material to Israel. Israeli leaders
frequently call for his release and say his nearly three decades in
prison are punishment enough, but stiff opposition from the American
military and intelligence community has deterred a string of American
presidents from releasing him.Since Pollard's conviction, Israel
has promised not to spy on the U.S. Ministers stressed Sunday that
Israel does not spy on the U.S. president or defense secretary. "I think
we should expect the same relations from the U.S.," Steinitz said.Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a more subdued reaction, saying that
Israel continues to press for the convicted spy's release."This
is not conditional and not connected to the latest events, even though
we gave our opinion about these developments," Netanyahu told his
Cabinet, presumably referring to the reported U.S. spying.
