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)
Ben Carson team in fatal crash, campaigning suspended-AFP-JAN 19,16-YAHOONEWS
Washington (AFP) - Republican Ben Carson temporarily suspended his US presidential bid when four members of his campaign team were involved in a fatal car accident in Iowa, where the first votes in the nomination process will be cast.A van transporting the group "hit a patch of ice and flipped on its side where it was struck by another vehicle," Carson's campaign said in a statement, released on Tuesday.A volunteer named as Braden Joplin, 25, died, while three others including a campaign staffer who was driving the vehicle were checked and later released from a hospital."I'm suspending all campaign activities today due to a car accident involving members of our team," Carson said on Twitter.His campaign said Carson was to travel from South Carolina to Omaha to meet the dead volunteer's family and will later make a statement. Rivals Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz and Rick Santorum all tweeted their support for Carson's campaign team after the accident.Carson, a retired neurosurgeon, is among 12 candidates seeking the Republican presidential nomination in 2016.Many of them are barnstorming Iowa in harsh winter weather as they seek to secure support in the run-up to the February 1 Iowa caucuses, the first votes in the presidential nomination process.Carson is running fourth in Iowa, according to a poll average compiled by RealClearPolitics.com.
Sarah Palin jumps into 2016 race, endorses Donald Trump-Associated Press By JILL COLVIN-JAN 19,16-YAHOONEWS
AMES, Iowa (AP) — Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump received a key endorsement Tuesday from conservative heavyweight Sarah Palin, giving the billionaire businessman a potential boost with some voters less than two weeks before voting begins with the Iowa caucuses."I am greatly honored to receive Sarah's endorsement," Trump said in a statement announcing the support of the former Alaska governor and former running mate of Sen. John McCain in his 2008 bid for the White House. "She is a friend, and a high-quality person whom I have great respect for. I am proud to have her support."Palin is scheduled to appear with Trump at a rally at an agricultural center at the Iowa State University later Tuesday and will also be joining Trump at two events Wednesday, including a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma.The endorsement comes less than two weeks ahead of the critical lead-off Iowa caucus, where Trump is locked in a dead heat with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.In the statement announcing the endorsement, Trump's campaign described Palin as a conservative who "helped launch the careers of several key future leaders of the Republican Party and conservative movement." The statement also quoted Cruz as once saying he "would not be in the United States Senate were it not for Gov. Sarah Palin. ... She can pick winners."Campaigning in New Hampshire, Tuesday, Cruz said, "Regardless of what Sarah intends to do in 2016, I will remain a big, big fan of Sarah Palin."Trump's national political director Michael Glassner previously worked with Palin, who was a virtual newcomer to the national political arena when McCain named her as his running mate. She has since risen to prominence as one of the most outspoken conservatives in the party.She signed on as a Fox News commentator after resigning as Alaska's governor in 2010, a job she held until last year.Asked Tuesday morning about his thoughts on a potential Palin endorsement, as rumors of her potential backing swirled, Trump said, "I'm a big fan of Sarah Palin."While Trump said he doesn't typically put much stock in endorsements, he said, "I think it could very well result in votes."GOP consultant Kevin Madden said the endorsement's timing will help Trump to crowd out Cruz's message at a crucial time in the race."I think it helps Trump overwhelm the news cycle with Trump coverage at a critical time," he said. "It sort of denies Ted Cruz any chance to get back on offense."Madden also said that Palin's support could help shield Trump from charges that his past positions make him too liberal to be the GOP nominee, "giving Trump some rhetorical cover from a conservative validator in the eyes of many grassroots conservatives."But some rally-goers at Trump's event Tuesday evening said they weren't sure whether Palin's support would help Trump. Several referenced what many saw as her poor performance as a vice presidential candidate."I don't think it's going to be a detriment, but I don't think it's going to be a huge asset," said Stephen Freese, 56, of Burlington, Iowa, who works in construction."I don't think she's really credible anymore," said Bruce Dodge, 66, of Ankeny, Iowa.Earlier Tuesday, Trump received an endorsement from the daughter of movie star John Wayne.Standing in front of a life-size, rifle-toting model of the actor in full cowboy gear, Trump accepted the endorsement of Aissa Wayne at the John Wayne Birthplace Museum in Winterset, Iowa."America needs help and we need a strong leader and we need someone like Mr. Trump with leadership qualities, someone with courage, someone that's strong, like John Wayne," she said.___Associated Press reporter Scott Bauer contributed to this report from Center Barnstead, New Hampshire.
US thinks missing American Levinson no longer in Iran-AFP-JAN 19,16-YAHOONEWS
Washington (AFP) - The White House said Tuesday it believes that Robert Levinson, the former FBI agent who disappeared nearly nine years ago in Iran, is no longer in the country.His family said Monday they were "crushed and outraged" that he was not included in a prisoner exchange that saw five other American detainees released over the weekend."As we mentioned several years ago, we have reason to believe that he is no longer in Iran," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said, refusing to comment on whether Levinson was still believed to be alive."We continue to press for information about his whereabouts and we're going to continue to do that," he said.On Sunday, President Barack Obama recalled US efforts to recover the former agent in a televised statement from the White House, saying, "We will never forget about Bob."The White House has consistently said Levinson was not working for the US government when he disappeared from Iran's Kish Island in mysterious circumstances in March 2007.But according to the Washington Post, Levinson was working for the CIA and was supposed to meet with an informer about Iran's nuclear program.A father of seven, Levinson suffers from diabetes and hypertension, and his family fears he is not receiving the appropriate medical care.
Argentina snake invasion forces beach closures-AFP-January 18, 2016 12:58 PM-YAHOONEWS
Rosario (Argentina) (AFP) - An invasion of poisonous snakes washed downriver in recent floods forced authorities to close beaches to summer holidaymakers in northern Argentina, officials said Monday. Floodwaters in the Rio Plata and Rio Parana carried a species of water lily and with it countless crawling, slithering creatures, south to beaches at the mouths of those rivers near Buenos Aires."We are raising awareness of the risk and danger present today. There are otters and species of snakes that are poisonous," said Matias Leyes, an official in the coastal town of Quilmes, south of the capital."The beaches of Quilmes have been closed as a precaution. We were cleaning up the coast during the week and while doing so we saw the snakes under the water lilies."Inland river beaches were also closed over the weekend in the northern city of Rosario.Locals there spotted displaced animals such as otters, a wild boar and a fox cub as well as snakes, scorpions and stinging insects.Water covered the beaches and even the terraces of seaside bars in Rosario, as summer temperatures reached 40 degrees Celsius."It is dangerous because when there is not much beach there is more risk of coming into direct contact with rodents or snakes, whose dens are all flooded," said Gonzalo Ratner, a top civil defense official in Rosario.Experts have blamed severe flooding in recent weeks in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay on the El Nino extreme weather phenomenon.
WORLD POWERS IN THE LAST DAYS (END OF AGE OF GRACE NOT THE WORLD)
EUROPEAN UNION-KING OF WEST-DAN 9:26-27,DAN 7:23-24,DAN 11:40,REV 13:1-10
EGYPT-KING OF THE SOUTH-DAN 11:40
RUSSIA-KING OF THE NORTH-EZEK 38:1-2,EZEK 39:1-3
CHINA-KING OF THE EAST-DAN 11:44,REV 9:16,18
VATICAN-RELIGIOUS LEADER-REV 13:11-18,REV 17:4-5,9,18
WORLD TERRORISM
GENESIS 6:11-13
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.(WORLD TERRORISM,MURDERS)(HAMAS IN HEBREW IS VIOLENCE)
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence (TERRORISM)(HAMAS) through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
2 PETER 2:5
5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
2 PETER 3:7
7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men
LEVITICUS 26:16
16 I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you( sudden) terror(ISM), consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
GENESIS 16:11-12
11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her,(HAGAR) Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael;(FATHER OF THE ARAB/MUSLIMS) because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
12 And he (ISHMAEL-FATHER OF THE ARAB-MUSLIMS) will be a wild (DONKEY-JACKASS) man;(ISLAM IS A FAKE AND DANGEROUS SEX FOR MURDER CULT) his hand will be against every man,(ISLAM HATES EVERYONE) and every man's hand against him;(PROTECTING THEMSELVES FROM BEING BEHEADED) and he (ISHMAEL ARAB/MUSLIM) shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.(LITERAL-THE ARABS LIVE WITH THEIR BRETHERN JEWS)
ISAIAH 14:12-14
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer,(SATAN) son of the morning!(HEBREW-CRECENT MOON-ISLAM) how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I (SATAN HAS EYE TROUBLES) will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.(AND 1/3RD OF THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN FELL WITH SATAN AND BECAME DEMONS)
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 MOON GOD ALLAH OF ISLAM)
WORLD TRAVEL AND KNOWLEDGE INCREASED
DANIEL 12:4
4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro,(WORLD TRAVEL,IMMIGRATION FROM WARS) and knowledge shall be increased.(CYBER-COMPUTERS MICROCHIPS ETC)
Greece gets 31,000 migrants since 1 January-By EUOBSERVER
19. Jan, 12:15-Some 31,244 migrants and refugees have arrived in Greece by sea since the start of the year, 21 times more than the same period last year, according to the International Organisation for Migration. The organisation says projections indicate arrivals in Greece for 2016 "may significantly exceed" last year's 853,650 record.
Iran's elite Guards to gain regional, economic power in post-sanctions era-Reuters By Parisa Hafezi-JAN 19,16-YAHOONEWS
ANKARA (Reuters) - Iran's Revolutionary Guards did well under international sanctions, and the elite military force is destined to become still richer now they've been lifted.Iran's clerical rulers have supported economic growth of the Guards, rewarding the group for sanctions-busting as well as suppressing dissent at home and helping Tehran's allies abroad - notably Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.Now the country is expecting an economic boom in the post-sanctions era and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), will be a beneficiary. Likewise, the leadership will ensure it is well funded to continue the effort in the regional crisis, including the Syrian civil war.The Guards aren't entirely off the hook, even though the United States, European Union and United Nations lifted most sanctions on Saturday under a deal with world powers where Tehran agreed to curbs on its nuclear program.Washington has noted that "U.S. statutory sanctions focused on Iran's support for terrorism, human rights abuses, and missile activities will remain in effect", and these will be enforced against certain members and actions of the Guards.But the Guards have long proved successful in defending their economic interests, including in recent years when the sanctions were at their tightest, effectively excluding Iran from the global financial and trading system."Even under very difficult economic circumstances, the funds for the IRGC's activities, whether domestic or overseas, remained intact," said a former official close to the government of pragmatist President Hassan Rouhani.Created by the Islamic Republic's founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the Guards first secured an economic foothold after the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s when the clerical rulers allowed them to invest in leading Iranian industries.Their economic influence grew particularly after former guardsman Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was elected president in 2005.-HELPING YOUR FRIENDS-Iran - the dominant Shi'ite Muslim power which is in rivalry with Saudi Arabia and the United States' other Sunni Arab friends - has fought decades of sectarian proxy wars in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen.Tehran is not about to end these activities just because its relations with the West have thawed with the nuclear deal. On the contrary, it hopes the economy, freed from the sanctions, will create new wealth that can be used for these ends.One senior security official signaled financing would grow for the Guards and its overseas arm, the Qods force."The IRGC and the Qods Force are Iran's key assets in the region, where we are determined to back our allies and those oppressed nations," said the official. "All parts of the establishment have reached a consensus on this. If you are a rich person, you can help your friends more, right?"Iran has already spent billions of dollars propping up Assad and in recent months provided elite teams to gather intelligence and train Syrian forces. Its casualties are rising, with several commanders killed, and foreign experts believe Tehran may have as many as 3,000 troops there.-FLOURISHING ECONOMY, STRONGER GUARDS-Another senior official confirmed that a flourishing economy, which is currently 60 percent dependent on oil exports, would mean extra cash for the Guards' foreign activities."It is very clear that our leaders will not hesitate to allocate more funds to the IRGC when needed. More money means more funds for the IRGC," said the official. "We don't want any conflicts but we will continue to help our allies."Away from the battlefield, Tehran credits the Guards with helping the domestic economy to survive under the sanctions that Washington first imposed after the 1979 Islamic Revolution and which expanded and tightened over the years.One Western diplomat who follows Iran closely estimated last year that business activities controlled by the Guards had an annual turnover of $10-12 billion.Iran refuses to reveal their market share. But an Economy Ministry official said the Guards have been involved in a wide range of industries, including energy, tourism, auto production, telecommunications and construction."There are many IRGC-affiliated companies that are involved in various sectors. The Guards helped different sectors to resist the unfair sanctions imposed on Iran for decades."The Guards were also rewarded with major contracts after suppressing pro-reform protests that followed Ahmadinejad's disputed re-election in 2009. A company affiliated to the IRGC bought the state-run telecoms company for about $8 billion.The Guards' construction branch, Khatam Al-Anbia, has also won a $1.2 billion contract to build a line on the Tehran metro."There was no chance to compete with the Guards-affiliated companies. Most of the time, they were offered contracts without even entering a bid," said an Iranian trader based in a Gulf country who does business with some IRGC-affiliated firms.As the U.S. and EU sanctions on Iran's oil and finance sectors in 2012 started to bite, the Guards responded by setting up complex operations involving the likes of Dubai and Turkey."The IRGC started to buy hundreds of small and medium-size companies around the country to use as front companies," said a trader involved in importing parts for the oil industry. "These companies partnered with some foreign companies to bypass sanctions. Most of the time cash was delivered to a foreign account in a neighboring country."Tehran also asked the Guards to take over energy projects vacated by Western oil companies due to the sanctions, with Khatam Al-Anbia leading development of the giant South Pars gas field.However, this exposed the limits to their expertise. "The IRGC had the loyalty but its affiliated companies lacked the technology and knowledge and ability to carry out projects," said a hardline former official.-ANYTHING BUT MONOLITHIC-Faced with such difficulties, top IRGC commanders have publicly backed the nuclear deal, which in any case would have been impossible to reach without the full support of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The IRGC is loyal to Khamenei. Analysts say the IRGC is anything but monolithic. Like many hardliners, some senior Guards have been wary of reaching a deal with Iran's arch foe, the United States, or of the prospect of the economy opening up as Iran's international isolation ends."Some remained more skeptical about dealing with the enemy. But once the system made the decision that the deal is expedient, they fell in line," said Ali Vaez, Senior Iran Analyst at Washington-based International Crisis Group."In the aftermath of the deal, some segments of the IRGC see opportunities in an open market, while others only see threats."Among the opportunities, Iran should now be able to get hold of the equipment and expertise it needs to complete the South Pars project. Shortly before the sanctions were lifted, oil minister Bijan Zanganeh said South Pars, the world's largest gas field, is expected to be developed by 2017.Iran will also have access to billions of dollars of its frozen assets overseas. Some analysts say the cash will be mainly used to import goods and technology to develop various sectors.The IRGC-affiliated front companies have benefited the establishment's support through lower insurance, shipping and banking commission costs when importing equipment and technology.And as foreign firms enter the Iranian market, they will need a local partner - which for large-scale projects will often mean a firm controlled by the Guards.(editing by David Stamp)
Tusk sets EU two-month deadline to handle migrant crisis By Eric Maurice-euobserver
BRUSSELS, 19. Jan, 18:24-The EU has "no more than two months to get things under control" in the migration crisis, EU Council president Donald Tusk warned Tuesday (19 January).Addressing MEPs at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Tusk said that "the March European Council will be the last moment to see if our strategy works"."If it doesn't we will face grave consequences such as the collapse of Schengen," he added.Tusk's warning comes as the decisions taken to manage the flow of migrants and strengthen Schengen area border controls are still not implemented."There is a clear delivery deficit on many fronts, from hotspots and security screening in frontline countries to relocation and returns," the EU Council chief said, adding that "the action plan with Turkey, although promising, is still to bear fruit."-Shortfall-According to the latest figures published by the commission Tuesday, 322 asylum seekers out of a planned 160,000 have been relocated, and 836 people have been sent back since September.Other figures show that member states have made available 201 experts out of the 374 requested by the European support asylum office (EASO) and 447 border guards out of the 775 requested by the Frontex border agency.Member states also pledged €575.45 million for the different funds set up to support programmes for refugees and displaced people, leaving a €2.2 billion shortfall compared to what they agreed in the autumn.Tusk called on member states to "implement our agreements in full", while EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, who spoke after him in the parliament, said that the conjunction of crises "requires to break out of national selfishness and return to the pioneering spirit"."When I hear there is no European response to the refugee crisis, it's at the same time false and true," Juncker said."If member states had implemented policy we have put forward we we would be in a better situation than we now are," he added, reminding critical member states that "Brussels is them too".-UK talks-Speaking about the other current main challenge for the EU, the negotiations over British membership, Tusk said that an agreement at the next EU summit in February "will not be easy but it is still possible"."In the run-up to the February European Council, I will table a concrete proposal for a deal with the UK to all EU leaders", he said.Tusk said there would be "no compromise on fundamental values like non-discrimination and free movement" but that he could do "everything in my power to find a satisfactory solution, also for the British side".He also suggested that a deal would not guarantee that the UK would remain in the EU."As of today the result of the referendum is more unpredictable than ever before," he noted."Time is of the essence here," he said. British prime minister David Cameron, for his part, has said several times that "what matters is getting the substance right, not the speed of the deal".
German minister criticises Merkel's 'friendly face' on migrants By Eric Maurice-jan 19,16-euobserver
BRUSSELS, Today, 09:30-Germany must be ready to "prepare a plan B" against the mass arrival of migrants and be ready to close its borders, German transport minister Alexander Dobrindt has said, in a direct challenge to chancellor Angela Merkel's policy."We need a quick change in the situation," Dobrindt said in an interview published in the Muenchner Merkur daily on Tuesday (19 January)."We must prepare ourselves for not being able to avoid border closures,” he said. "We must quickly agree on that with the other countries on the refugee route.""It is not enough to show the world a friendly face," he added, referring to an expression used by Merkel last September to justify her policy of welcoming all Syrian refugees to Germany.Dobrindt is from the CSU, the Bavarian sister party of Merkel's Christian democrat CDU, which has been critical of the chancellor's policy from the start.-Still 'the right one'?-His interview is the most open criticism of Merkel yet to come from her own coalition government.It comes at a time when her authority on the refugee issue is being challenged by events in Cologne and other cities on New Year's Eve, when dozens of men, mainly of north African or Middle Eastern origin, including migrants, sexually assaulted women on the streets.On Sunday, Bild, Germany’s most popular daily, asked on its first page whether Merkel is "still the right one".Under the headline, it listed Germany's - and Merkel's - current problems: "Lack of respect, lack of authority, power struggles … terrorism, criminality, overstrained authorities.”It concluded: "Merkel's refugee policy [is] at the point of failure."Coming from a newspaper known for its populist tendencies, but which has, overall, supported Merkel's "Wilkommenspolitik”, the story could signal a change of fortune for the chancellor.In the interview with the Muenchner Merkur, Dobrindt also pointed out the lack of support for her ideas in Europe-"Who speaks of a coalition of the willing to manage this crisis must also name the reality," he said, referring to a group of countries which Merkel has tried to rally to organise relocation and resettlement of refugees in Europe."On this issue there is a pact of the unwilling against us," Dobrindt said.-Pressure builds-So far, just 322 refugees out of a 160,000 quotas have been relocated from Italy and Greece to other EU countries, putting a cloud over Germany's main ideas on how to face the crisis at EU level.Merkel has so far resisted calls, especially from the CSU, to limit the number of migrants coming to Germany. But she said she would try to "noticeably reduce the number of refugees", after more than 1 million people sought asylum in 2015.-The pressure could increase further.Austria's interior minister, Johanna Mikl-Leitner, has said that from the end of this week, she will let through only migrants who intend to seek asylum in Germany.On Wednesday, the Austrian federal government will also hold a summit with regions and local authorities to define means to "clearly reduce" the number of refugees.-'Visionary decisions'-While Merkel is being increasingly criticised, the director of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), William Lacy Swing, said he had "the greatest admiration for Merkel and her visionary and courageous decisions"."We hoped that all 28 EU member states would imitate her and take responsibility. They did not but that doesn't weaken the admiration and the praise for Merkel's right decisions," he told the Die Welt newspaper.
Ukraine debunks YouTube terror threat against Netherlands By Andrew Rettman-euobserver
BRUSSELS, 19. Jan, 19:36-The Azov Regiment, a squad of irregular, nationalist fighters in Ukraine, has debunked a YouTube clip threatening terrorist attacks if Dutch people vote No in a referendum on the EU-Ukraine trade treaty.Andriy Diachenko, Azov’s deputy commander, said in a video statement on Tuesday (19 January) that they did not create the clip, adding that it was “laughable” because Azov is against EU integration.“Azov members, as befits Ukrainian nationalists, have always perceived the idea of Ukraine joining the European Union negatively, instead supporting the idea of a Baltic-Black Sea alternative union,” he said.He added the clip uses replica AK47s instead of real ones.The Ukrainian foreign ministry in Kiev also told the Dutch ambassador the clip is fake.Kees Verhoeven, a Dutch MP with the social-liberal D66 party, called for a government investigation into Russian attempts to influence the outcome of the vote.The original clip was published on Monday on a previously unused YouTube account entitled “Patriot” in Ukrainian.It shows balaclava-clad men with Azov insignia burn a Dutch flag.-Pro-Russian propaganda-Recalling the Paris terror attacks, one of the men says: “Dear Dutchmen, don't you dare go against Ukraine. It will end very badly for you.”“We will find you everywhere. In a movie … in your bedroom, public transport. We have our guys in the Netherlands and they are ready to obey any order."For Ukrainian journalists and civil society activists, the Patriot video bears the hallmarks of pro-Russian propaganda.But it caused a stir in Dutch online circles. The popular news blog geenstijl.nl said that even if the clip is fake the risk of an attack by Ukrainian fighters is real.Roman Sohn, a columnist for the Ukrainska Pravda website, told EUobserver: “The video is being used as a ‘foot in the door’ manoeuvre to start a public debate on Nazi fascists in Ukraine to disparage the integration aspirations of Ukrainians.”“Russian propagandists are very effective,” he added.“Even when people distrust the authenticity of their messages the messages still do harm because people subconsciously embrace the underlying emotional connotations.”The Ukraine referendum, due on 6 April, comes after a petition organised by Dutch NGOs.It’s non-binding and the EU-Ukraine treaty has already entered into force. But European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker recently warned that a No could “open the door to a big continental crisis”.-Fake stories-For its part, the Dutch government has said it will campaign for a Yes because the treaty is good for Dutch trade and for European security.But it’s keeping the campaign low profile in the hope the turnout falls below the threshhold of 30 percent.The EU foreign service, last year, created a small unit, East StratCom, to also debunk fake Russian stories.It publishes a regular review called Disinformation Weekly. The latest trend, it says, is fake stories purportedly taken from Western media.One story, shortly after New Year's Eve, said the BBC had reported that Ukrainian leader Petro Poroshenko had been hospitalised after being found drunk under a Christmas tree. The BBC had never published such a report.
Too much, too soon: cities ask feds for a break from taking in Syrian refugees-[The Canadian Press]-Stephanie Levitz, The Canadian Press-January 19, 2016-yahoonews
OTTAWA - Two cities, Vancouver and Ottawa, are taking a break from accepting any more government-assisted Syrian refugees as agencies in both cities try to work through housing bottlenecks.A surge of arrivals in the last month filled temporary housing to capacity and the settlement groups responsible say they need time to move people into permanent homes before they can accept any new cases.The director of settlement for the Immigrant Services Society of B.C. says the pause in Vancouver will last five days, beginning Tuesday. Even though the group added 700 beds to its housing stock, it is still taking time to find permanent homes, Chris Friesen said."Nobody is stuck in an airport for a week or something like that," he said. "Overseas, what it means is either they will put them on later flights or they may (send) them to new centres that have current capacity just to keep the flow going," he said.Friesen said it also took more time than expected for the federal Immigration Department to process the cheques newcomers use to pay for their first homes and other needs.In Ottawa, officials had been gearing up for large numbers of privately sponsored refugees but what came first was the influx of government-assisted ones, filling the available beds. A delay in accepting new government-assisted refugees could last as long as a week."The timing just needs to be spread out a bit, it's just been this huge influx over a two-week period," said Leslie Emory, the executive director of the Ottawa Immigrant Community Services Organization.The pause only applies to government-assisted refugees, those whose costs are covered entirely by the federal government.Upon arrival in Canada, they are sent to one of 36 cities that have resettlement agreements with the government. Of the 25,000 Syrians the Liberals plan to bring in by the end of February, about 15,000 are to be part of that category and 5,932 have arrived so far.An early element of the resettlement plan called for refugees to be housed temporarily at military bases in Ontario and Quebec until permanent homes could be found, but that is now considered an option of last resort. No bases have taken refugees so far.A spokesperson for the Immigration Department said the size of the refugee resettlement operations brings challenges and the department is working with communities buckling under the strain. The spokesperson did not immediately say whether other communities had requested a pause.Privately sponsored refugees will continue to arrive in both Vancouver and Ottawa.Immigration Minister John McCallum said Monday the resettlement challenge is on the government's mind. One thing he said is under consideration is finding a way to get Syrians into more French-speaking communities.McCallum says more than 90 per cent of refugees that have arrived don't speak either of the official languages, creating what he calls a blank slate for refugees and provinces to teach them either English or French.But language-training courses are in high demand across the country. Friesen said. While some cities have no wait lists, others see new immigrants wait for over a year.— With files from Jordan Press in Saint Andrews, N.B.
Top echelon of military shuffled as Liberals retools Canadian ISIL mission-[The Canadian Press]-The Canadian Press-January 19, 2016-yahoonews
OTTAWA - The Canadian navy and army will be getting new commanders in the near future.The country's top military commander, Gen. Jonathan Vance, has announced the annual series of promotions and retirements among the top brass of the armed forces.The changes, although routine, come at a critical time as the Trudeau government resets the country's strategy in the war against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.The current deputy commander of the military, Lt.-Gen. Guy Thibault, will retire and be replaced by Vice-Admiral Mark Norman, who currently helms the navy.At the same time, Rear-Admiral Ron Lloyd will take over as navy commander.Also among the retirements is Canada's military representative at NATO, Vice-Admiral Bob Davidson, who will be replaced in Brussels by the current commander of the army, Lt.-Gen. Marquis Haines, who has held the post for almost three years.The new top soldier will be Maj.-Gen. Paul Wynnyk, will be promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general in the near future.Also among the retirements is Maj.-Gen. Dean Milner, the country's last task force commander during the Kandahar combat mission.The various changes of command will take place over the next several months.
Reports: Canada not invited to Paris defence ministers' to discuss ISIL fight-[The Canadian Press]-January 19, 2016-yahoonews
OTTAWA - Media reports say Canada has not been invited to a meeting of defence ministers in Paris this week to discuss the fight against Islamic State militants.Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan’s office has confirmed to CBC News and the Globe and Mail that he won't attend Wednesday's meeting.The reports say defence ministers from the United States, Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Australia and the Netherlands will take part in the talks.Sajjan spokesman Renee Filiatrault told the Globe that Canada's plan to pull its CF-18s from the fight against ISIL had nothing to do with Canada's exclusion from the meeting.Omar Alghabra, the parliamentary secretary to Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion, told the CBC it wasn't a surprise as those seven countries meet regularly without Canada and the only thing different this time it that defence ministers will be there.But Conservative defence critic James Bezan said the apparent snub shows Canada is no longer seen as a valuable ally.
Juncker appoints Swede as social advisor-By EUOBSERVER
19. Jan, 17:09-EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker has appointed Swedish former social democrat minister Allan Larsson as special advisor for a new 'social rights pillar' aimed at taking "account of the changing realities of the world of work". Larsson has worked as commission director-general for employment and advisor to the ILO.
Belgian nuclear plants under scrutiny by neighbour countries By Peter Teffer-euobserver
Berlin, 19. Jan, 19:04-The German environment minister, Barbara Hendricks, is planning a meeting with her Belgian counterpart, Marie Christine Marghem, about the safety of Belgium's nuclear power plants, according to her deputy.The talk will follow a visit by the Dutch environment minister, Melanie Schultz van Haegen, to one of plants on Wednesday (20 January).Belgium has a lot of explaining to do these days about problems it has had at the site of its two nuclear power plants: Tihange, which is around 70 kilometres from the German border, and Doel, only a few kilometres from the Dutch border.There have been various incidents in the non-nuclear parts of the plants which have led to temporary shutdowns. On 6 January 2016, when the Doel 3 reactor was reconnected to the grid, that marked the first time since March 2014 that all seven reactors in Belgium were operational.The many reports of incidents have made citizens in neighbouring countries – the Netherlands, Germany, and Luxembourg – worried.'Very tricky issue'-“It's a very tricky issue, very sensitive,” Jochen Flasbarth, the German state secretary for environment, responsible for nuclear safety in Germany, told EUobserver in Berlin.“We have the sovereignty of each and every state to decide on their [energy] portfolio and their energy mix. It is their sovereignty to decide whether to have or to exclude the use of nuclear,” Flasbarth said.He was speaking at a meeting about Germany's nuclear phase-out, organised by think tank Clean Energy Wire.“Of course they also have the sovereignty to ensure the proper and safe running and operation of their facilities. There are some institutional arrangements in Europe ... to strengthen their ability to ensure the safe running of their facilities.”“But of course, people get concerned if they hear about some problems, for example now at the moment in Belgium at Tihange, and Doel,” he said.Belgium earlier this month organised a technical workshop to inform its European neighbours about the issues.“There were some remaining questions and these have been submitted by my minister to [interior] minister [Jan] Jambon. After exchanging some more information on a technical level there will be a personal meeting between the two ministers”, said Flasbarth, adding he has also discussed the issue with his Luxembourgian colleague.But the debate is predominantly about technical issues, the official noted.“What we do is we exchange information, we ask questions ... based principally on technical, scientific issues. Not political,” said Flasbarth, adding he would not argue that Belgium “doesn't have the right to use nuclear” or should phase out of nuclear power completely, as Germany has set itself out to do by 2022.-Court cases-However, not all politicians follow that reasoning as strictly.Several Dutch and German local politicians have argued for the closure of the reactors, which went operational between 1975 and 1985.The municipal council of the Dutch city Maastricht has asked the local government to force the shutdown of Tihange through the court, following in the footsteps of the German city Aachen, which is considering the legal options.Meanwhile, Belgian minister Jambon's spokesperson announced Monday that the ministry would improve communications with its neighbouring countries.Jambon and Dutch environment minister Schultz van Haegen will visit Doel on Wednesday morning, while the Dutch and Belgian nuclear safety authorities conduct a joint inspection.
Israeli diplomats soften EU policy on settlements By Andrew Rettman-euobserver
BRUSSELS, 18. Jan, 20:33-Forceful Israeli diplomacy led to changes in an EU statement on “unequivocally and explicitly” differentiating between Israel and the occupied West Bank.The final version, agreed by foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday (18 January), focuses on the letter of EU-Israel acords.“The EU expresses its commitment to ensure that ... all agreements between the state of Israel and the EU must unequivocally and explicitly indicate their inapplicability to the territories occupied by Israel in 1967,” it says.An earlier draft, circulated by the EU foreign service, amounted to a more far-reaching policy declaration.“The EU will continue to unequivocally and explicitly make the distinction between Israel and all territories occupied by Israel in 1967,” the draft said.Israeli diplomats, according to reports in Israeli media, had targeted the Czech Republic, Cyprus, and Greece in the run-up to Monday to try to soften or delay the statement.Greece vetoed the draft text on Friday, saying it was “unbalanced” against Israel.EU sources said Bulgaria, Cyprus, Poland, and Romania joined the Greek complaint. But the Czech Republic and Germany stayed silent, while the Netherlands, also known as a friend of Israel, supported the draft.The Israeli concern is that the more forceful and wide-ranging the wording, the more likely the EU, or individual states, will be to take additional anti-settler steps in future by reference to the Council conclusions.The EU, already last year, published a code for retailers on how to label settler exports.EU diplomats based in Ramallah, the de facto Palestinian capital, have, in the past, suggested other measures, such as a visa ban on known violent settlers.The final version of the EU conclusions also softens criticism of Israel's plan to crack down on foreign-funded NGOs.The final text speaks of “the importance of unhindered work of civil society” in Israel and Palestine. The earlier version spoke of “attempts to stifle civil society.”In an another concession to Israel, the final text heaps blame on Hamas for rocket attacks, while making little mention of reciprocal Israeli fire.-Further action?-But the final text, as in the original, still says EU countries “will consider further action in order to protect the viability of the two-state solution” from settlement expansion.It still links Palestinian knife and car attacks on Israelis to the lack of a “political horizon” for peace talks.It also urges Israel, whose security forces killed 155 Palestinians in the past four months, to adhere to “necessity and proportionality in the use of force,” despite Israel’s recent fury at Swedish criticism of the Palestinian death toll.The EU foreign relations chief, Federica Mogherini, described the final text as “a good basis for our common position and our engagement with the Middle East Peace Process.”The Irish foreign minister, Charles Flanagan, whose country had, reportedly, pushed for stronger criticism of Israel, said: “Ireland firmly believes in a two-state solution and that’s not compatible with continued expansion of settlements.”He described life in Israeli-besieged Gaza, which he recently visited, as “horrific.”--Iran hopes-The ministers spent most of Monday discussing the situation in the wider Middle East and north Africa.They voiced hope the unity government deal in Libya will be respected and said Iran’s implementation of the nuclear non-proliferation deal bodes well for the Syria conflict.The EU is keen, as part of a UN-led process, to launch talks between the Syrian government, moderate opposition forces, and regional powers.Mogherini said Iran’s nuclear compliance means one of the most important regional actors can now play a bigger role in the talks.She also said she’s planning to visit Iran in spring to promote EU business and political ties.
Joint Statement on the Meeting of the Bilateral Commission of the Delegations of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and the Holy See’s Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews (Jerusalem, December 16/17, 2015; Tevet 4/5, 5776), 18.12.2015-vatican-[B1010]
1. The Bilateral Commission of the delegations of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and the Holy See’s Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews held its thirteenth meeting in Jerusalem at the offices of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung on the subject of “Migrants and Refugees – threat or opportunity?” . 2. Chief Rabbi Rasson Arousi, acting Chairman of the Jewish delegation, welcomed Cardinal Peter Turkson, Chairman of the Catholic delegation, and his colleagues. This was followed by a minute of silence in memory of Cardinal Jorge Mejia the first Catholic co-chair of the Bilateral Commission who had passed away since the last meeting was held. Tributes were paid to his historic contribution to the transformation in Catholic-Jewish relations, especially to be noted at a time of celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of Nostra Aetate. The participants also sought to convey wishes for a full and speedy recovery to Chief Rabbi Shear Yashuv Cohen. 3. The Jewish delegation took the opportunity to express its appreciation regarding the new document issued by the Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews on the occasion of the aforementioned anniversary. This document written for the Catholic faithful as a theological reflection on the relationship of the Church to the Jewish People and titled “The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (cf. Romans 11: 29), affirms the eternal validity of the Divine Covenant with the Jewish People who are called to be loyal to Torah. Accordingly the document affirms the integrity of the Jewish faith and understanding of Scripture and that there is no intent on the part of the Church to convert Jews. The text also refers with esteem to the meetings and statements of this bilateral committee of the Pontifical Commission with the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and urges greater cooperation between the Church and the Jewish People for a more just and peaceful world - for tikkun olam bmalkhut Shadai. 4. It was accordingly most appropriate that this meeting of the bilateral commission focused on the enormous current humanitarian crisis in the form of hundreds of thousands of refugees seeking asylum and the challenges this poses. 5. The presentations and discussion highlighted a number of issues: I. The tensions between the obligation to welcome and “love the stranger as yourself” (Lev. 19:34) while meeting one’s responsibilities to one’s own identity, society, community and specific religious mission. II. The challenge posed by migration raises a question mark regarding the fullness and authenticity of human existence and experience. It raises moral demands for respect for human dignity that no decent conscience can ignore. III. Accordingly Jews and Christians are called - a. To address these challenges and to do the utmost to ensure that the Divine Image, (Genesis 1:27) in which all humanity is created, is respected and fostered fully among migrant and refugee populations. b. To recognize immigrants as a blessed resource to be welcomed and respected for their human dignity, and as potential to contribute to the positive growth and development of society. c. To help influence public opinion and legislatures to regulate and more effectively implement immigration procedures, mindful of the preferred destinations of migrants themselves. 6. The Bilateral Commission was treated to a presentation on Israeli initiatives to address the plight of refugees and victims of conflict. Rabbi Rasson Arousi-(Chairman of the Jewish Delegation)-Cardinal Peter Kodwo Turkson-(Chairman of the Catholic Delegation)-Rabbi David Brodman-Patriarch Fouad Twal-Rabbi Professor Daniel Sperber-Archbishop Bruno Forte-Rabbi David Rosen-Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto-Mr Oded Wiener-Bishop Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo-Rabbi Shmuel Shapira-Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, O.F.M.-Msgr. Pier Francesco Fumagalli-Father Norbert Hofmann, S.D.B.
Ben Carson team in fatal crash, campaigning suspended-AFP-JAN 19,16-YAHOONEWS
Washington (AFP) - Republican Ben Carson temporarily suspended his US presidential bid when four members of his campaign team were involved in a fatal car accident in Iowa, where the first votes in the nomination process will be cast.A van transporting the group "hit a patch of ice and flipped on its side where it was struck by another vehicle," Carson's campaign said in a statement, released on Tuesday.A volunteer named as Braden Joplin, 25, died, while three others including a campaign staffer who was driving the vehicle were checked and later released from a hospital."I'm suspending all campaign activities today due to a car accident involving members of our team," Carson said on Twitter.His campaign said Carson was to travel from South Carolina to Omaha to meet the dead volunteer's family and will later make a statement. Rivals Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz and Rick Santorum all tweeted their support for Carson's campaign team after the accident.Carson, a retired neurosurgeon, is among 12 candidates seeking the Republican presidential nomination in 2016.Many of them are barnstorming Iowa in harsh winter weather as they seek to secure support in the run-up to the February 1 Iowa caucuses, the first votes in the presidential nomination process.Carson is running fourth in Iowa, according to a poll average compiled by RealClearPolitics.com.
Sarah Palin jumps into 2016 race, endorses Donald Trump-Associated Press By JILL COLVIN-JAN 19,16-YAHOONEWS
AMES, Iowa (AP) — Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump received a key endorsement Tuesday from conservative heavyweight Sarah Palin, giving the billionaire businessman a potential boost with some voters less than two weeks before voting begins with the Iowa caucuses."I am greatly honored to receive Sarah's endorsement," Trump said in a statement announcing the support of the former Alaska governor and former running mate of Sen. John McCain in his 2008 bid for the White House. "She is a friend, and a high-quality person whom I have great respect for. I am proud to have her support."Palin is scheduled to appear with Trump at a rally at an agricultural center at the Iowa State University later Tuesday and will also be joining Trump at two events Wednesday, including a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma.The endorsement comes less than two weeks ahead of the critical lead-off Iowa caucus, where Trump is locked in a dead heat with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.In the statement announcing the endorsement, Trump's campaign described Palin as a conservative who "helped launch the careers of several key future leaders of the Republican Party and conservative movement." The statement also quoted Cruz as once saying he "would not be in the United States Senate were it not for Gov. Sarah Palin. ... She can pick winners."Campaigning in New Hampshire, Tuesday, Cruz said, "Regardless of what Sarah intends to do in 2016, I will remain a big, big fan of Sarah Palin."Trump's national political director Michael Glassner previously worked with Palin, who was a virtual newcomer to the national political arena when McCain named her as his running mate. She has since risen to prominence as one of the most outspoken conservatives in the party.She signed on as a Fox News commentator after resigning as Alaska's governor in 2010, a job she held until last year.Asked Tuesday morning about his thoughts on a potential Palin endorsement, as rumors of her potential backing swirled, Trump said, "I'm a big fan of Sarah Palin."While Trump said he doesn't typically put much stock in endorsements, he said, "I think it could very well result in votes."GOP consultant Kevin Madden said the endorsement's timing will help Trump to crowd out Cruz's message at a crucial time in the race."I think it helps Trump overwhelm the news cycle with Trump coverage at a critical time," he said. "It sort of denies Ted Cruz any chance to get back on offense."Madden also said that Palin's support could help shield Trump from charges that his past positions make him too liberal to be the GOP nominee, "giving Trump some rhetorical cover from a conservative validator in the eyes of many grassroots conservatives."But some rally-goers at Trump's event Tuesday evening said they weren't sure whether Palin's support would help Trump. Several referenced what many saw as her poor performance as a vice presidential candidate."I don't think it's going to be a detriment, but I don't think it's going to be a huge asset," said Stephen Freese, 56, of Burlington, Iowa, who works in construction."I don't think she's really credible anymore," said Bruce Dodge, 66, of Ankeny, Iowa.Earlier Tuesday, Trump received an endorsement from the daughter of movie star John Wayne.Standing in front of a life-size, rifle-toting model of the actor in full cowboy gear, Trump accepted the endorsement of Aissa Wayne at the John Wayne Birthplace Museum in Winterset, Iowa."America needs help and we need a strong leader and we need someone like Mr. Trump with leadership qualities, someone with courage, someone that's strong, like John Wayne," she said.___Associated Press reporter Scott Bauer contributed to this report from Center Barnstead, New Hampshire.
US thinks missing American Levinson no longer in Iran-AFP-JAN 19,16-YAHOONEWS
Washington (AFP) - The White House said Tuesday it believes that Robert Levinson, the former FBI agent who disappeared nearly nine years ago in Iran, is no longer in the country.His family said Monday they were "crushed and outraged" that he was not included in a prisoner exchange that saw five other American detainees released over the weekend."As we mentioned several years ago, we have reason to believe that he is no longer in Iran," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said, refusing to comment on whether Levinson was still believed to be alive."We continue to press for information about his whereabouts and we're going to continue to do that," he said.On Sunday, President Barack Obama recalled US efforts to recover the former agent in a televised statement from the White House, saying, "We will never forget about Bob."The White House has consistently said Levinson was not working for the US government when he disappeared from Iran's Kish Island in mysterious circumstances in March 2007.But according to the Washington Post, Levinson was working for the CIA and was supposed to meet with an informer about Iran's nuclear program.A father of seven, Levinson suffers from diabetes and hypertension, and his family fears he is not receiving the appropriate medical care.
Argentina snake invasion forces beach closures-AFP-January 18, 2016 12:58 PM-YAHOONEWS
Rosario (Argentina) (AFP) - An invasion of poisonous snakes washed downriver in recent floods forced authorities to close beaches to summer holidaymakers in northern Argentina, officials said Monday. Floodwaters in the Rio Plata and Rio Parana carried a species of water lily and with it countless crawling, slithering creatures, south to beaches at the mouths of those rivers near Buenos Aires."We are raising awareness of the risk and danger present today. There are otters and species of snakes that are poisonous," said Matias Leyes, an official in the coastal town of Quilmes, south of the capital."The beaches of Quilmes have been closed as a precaution. We were cleaning up the coast during the week and while doing so we saw the snakes under the water lilies."Inland river beaches were also closed over the weekend in the northern city of Rosario.Locals there spotted displaced animals such as otters, a wild boar and a fox cub as well as snakes, scorpions and stinging insects.Water covered the beaches and even the terraces of seaside bars in Rosario, as summer temperatures reached 40 degrees Celsius."It is dangerous because when there is not much beach there is more risk of coming into direct contact with rodents or snakes, whose dens are all flooded," said Gonzalo Ratner, a top civil defense official in Rosario.Experts have blamed severe flooding in recent weeks in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay on the El Nino extreme weather phenomenon.
WORLD POWERS IN THE LAST DAYS (END OF AGE OF GRACE NOT THE WORLD)
EUROPEAN UNION-KING OF WEST-DAN 9:26-27,DAN 7:23-24,DAN 11:40,REV 13:1-10
EGYPT-KING OF THE SOUTH-DAN 11:40
RUSSIA-KING OF THE NORTH-EZEK 38:1-2,EZEK 39:1-3
CHINA-KING OF THE EAST-DAN 11:44,REV 9:16,18
VATICAN-RELIGIOUS LEADER-REV 13:11-18,REV 17:4-5,9,18
WORLD TERRORISM
GENESIS 6:11-13
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.(WORLD TERRORISM,MURDERS)(HAMAS IN HEBREW IS VIOLENCE)
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence (TERRORISM)(HAMAS) through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
2 PETER 2:5
5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
2 PETER 3:7
7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men
LEVITICUS 26:16
16 I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you( sudden) terror(ISM), consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
GENESIS 16:11-12
11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her,(HAGAR) Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael;(FATHER OF THE ARAB/MUSLIMS) because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
12 And he (ISHMAEL-FATHER OF THE ARAB-MUSLIMS) will be a wild (DONKEY-JACKASS) man;(ISLAM IS A FAKE AND DANGEROUS SEX FOR MURDER CULT) his hand will be against every man,(ISLAM HATES EVERYONE) and every man's hand against him;(PROTECTING THEMSELVES FROM BEING BEHEADED) and he (ISHMAEL ARAB/MUSLIM) shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.(LITERAL-THE ARABS LIVE WITH THEIR BRETHERN JEWS)
ISAIAH 14:12-14
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer,(SATAN) son of the morning!(HEBREW-CRECENT MOON-ISLAM) how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I (SATAN HAS EYE TROUBLES) will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.(AND 1/3RD OF THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN FELL WITH SATAN AND BECAME DEMONS)
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 MOON GOD ALLAH OF ISLAM)
WORLD TRAVEL AND KNOWLEDGE INCREASED
DANIEL 12:4
4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro,(WORLD TRAVEL,IMMIGRATION FROM WARS) and knowledge shall be increased.(CYBER-COMPUTERS MICROCHIPS ETC)
Greece gets 31,000 migrants since 1 January-By EUOBSERVER
19. Jan, 12:15-Some 31,244 migrants and refugees have arrived in Greece by sea since the start of the year, 21 times more than the same period last year, according to the International Organisation for Migration. The organisation says projections indicate arrivals in Greece for 2016 "may significantly exceed" last year's 853,650 record.
Iran's elite Guards to gain regional, economic power in post-sanctions era-Reuters By Parisa Hafezi-JAN 19,16-YAHOONEWS
ANKARA (Reuters) - Iran's Revolutionary Guards did well under international sanctions, and the elite military force is destined to become still richer now they've been lifted.Iran's clerical rulers have supported economic growth of the Guards, rewarding the group for sanctions-busting as well as suppressing dissent at home and helping Tehran's allies abroad - notably Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.Now the country is expecting an economic boom in the post-sanctions era and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), will be a beneficiary. Likewise, the leadership will ensure it is well funded to continue the effort in the regional crisis, including the Syrian civil war.The Guards aren't entirely off the hook, even though the United States, European Union and United Nations lifted most sanctions on Saturday under a deal with world powers where Tehran agreed to curbs on its nuclear program.Washington has noted that "U.S. statutory sanctions focused on Iran's support for terrorism, human rights abuses, and missile activities will remain in effect", and these will be enforced against certain members and actions of the Guards.But the Guards have long proved successful in defending their economic interests, including in recent years when the sanctions were at their tightest, effectively excluding Iran from the global financial and trading system."Even under very difficult economic circumstances, the funds for the IRGC's activities, whether domestic or overseas, remained intact," said a former official close to the government of pragmatist President Hassan Rouhani.Created by the Islamic Republic's founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the Guards first secured an economic foothold after the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s when the clerical rulers allowed them to invest in leading Iranian industries.Their economic influence grew particularly after former guardsman Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was elected president in 2005.-HELPING YOUR FRIENDS-Iran - the dominant Shi'ite Muslim power which is in rivalry with Saudi Arabia and the United States' other Sunni Arab friends - has fought decades of sectarian proxy wars in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen.Tehran is not about to end these activities just because its relations with the West have thawed with the nuclear deal. On the contrary, it hopes the economy, freed from the sanctions, will create new wealth that can be used for these ends.One senior security official signaled financing would grow for the Guards and its overseas arm, the Qods force."The IRGC and the Qods Force are Iran's key assets in the region, where we are determined to back our allies and those oppressed nations," said the official. "All parts of the establishment have reached a consensus on this. If you are a rich person, you can help your friends more, right?"Iran has already spent billions of dollars propping up Assad and in recent months provided elite teams to gather intelligence and train Syrian forces. Its casualties are rising, with several commanders killed, and foreign experts believe Tehran may have as many as 3,000 troops there.-FLOURISHING ECONOMY, STRONGER GUARDS-Another senior official confirmed that a flourishing economy, which is currently 60 percent dependent on oil exports, would mean extra cash for the Guards' foreign activities."It is very clear that our leaders will not hesitate to allocate more funds to the IRGC when needed. More money means more funds for the IRGC," said the official. "We don't want any conflicts but we will continue to help our allies."Away from the battlefield, Tehran credits the Guards with helping the domestic economy to survive under the sanctions that Washington first imposed after the 1979 Islamic Revolution and which expanded and tightened over the years.One Western diplomat who follows Iran closely estimated last year that business activities controlled by the Guards had an annual turnover of $10-12 billion.Iran refuses to reveal their market share. But an Economy Ministry official said the Guards have been involved in a wide range of industries, including energy, tourism, auto production, telecommunications and construction."There are many IRGC-affiliated companies that are involved in various sectors. The Guards helped different sectors to resist the unfair sanctions imposed on Iran for decades."The Guards were also rewarded with major contracts after suppressing pro-reform protests that followed Ahmadinejad's disputed re-election in 2009. A company affiliated to the IRGC bought the state-run telecoms company for about $8 billion.The Guards' construction branch, Khatam Al-Anbia, has also won a $1.2 billion contract to build a line on the Tehran metro."There was no chance to compete with the Guards-affiliated companies. Most of the time, they were offered contracts without even entering a bid," said an Iranian trader based in a Gulf country who does business with some IRGC-affiliated firms.As the U.S. and EU sanctions on Iran's oil and finance sectors in 2012 started to bite, the Guards responded by setting up complex operations involving the likes of Dubai and Turkey."The IRGC started to buy hundreds of small and medium-size companies around the country to use as front companies," said a trader involved in importing parts for the oil industry. "These companies partnered with some foreign companies to bypass sanctions. Most of the time cash was delivered to a foreign account in a neighboring country."Tehran also asked the Guards to take over energy projects vacated by Western oil companies due to the sanctions, with Khatam Al-Anbia leading development of the giant South Pars gas field.However, this exposed the limits to their expertise. "The IRGC had the loyalty but its affiliated companies lacked the technology and knowledge and ability to carry out projects," said a hardline former official.-ANYTHING BUT MONOLITHIC-Faced with such difficulties, top IRGC commanders have publicly backed the nuclear deal, which in any case would have been impossible to reach without the full support of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The IRGC is loyal to Khamenei. Analysts say the IRGC is anything but monolithic. Like many hardliners, some senior Guards have been wary of reaching a deal with Iran's arch foe, the United States, or of the prospect of the economy opening up as Iran's international isolation ends."Some remained more skeptical about dealing with the enemy. But once the system made the decision that the deal is expedient, they fell in line," said Ali Vaez, Senior Iran Analyst at Washington-based International Crisis Group."In the aftermath of the deal, some segments of the IRGC see opportunities in an open market, while others only see threats."Among the opportunities, Iran should now be able to get hold of the equipment and expertise it needs to complete the South Pars project. Shortly before the sanctions were lifted, oil minister Bijan Zanganeh said South Pars, the world's largest gas field, is expected to be developed by 2017.Iran will also have access to billions of dollars of its frozen assets overseas. Some analysts say the cash will be mainly used to import goods and technology to develop various sectors.The IRGC-affiliated front companies have benefited the establishment's support through lower insurance, shipping and banking commission costs when importing equipment and technology.And as foreign firms enter the Iranian market, they will need a local partner - which for large-scale projects will often mean a firm controlled by the Guards.(editing by David Stamp)
Tusk sets EU two-month deadline to handle migrant crisis By Eric Maurice-euobserver
BRUSSELS, 19. Jan, 18:24-The EU has "no more than two months to get things under control" in the migration crisis, EU Council president Donald Tusk warned Tuesday (19 January).Addressing MEPs at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Tusk said that "the March European Council will be the last moment to see if our strategy works"."If it doesn't we will face grave consequences such as the collapse of Schengen," he added.Tusk's warning comes as the decisions taken to manage the flow of migrants and strengthen Schengen area border controls are still not implemented."There is a clear delivery deficit on many fronts, from hotspots and security screening in frontline countries to relocation and returns," the EU Council chief said, adding that "the action plan with Turkey, although promising, is still to bear fruit."-Shortfall-According to the latest figures published by the commission Tuesday, 322 asylum seekers out of a planned 160,000 have been relocated, and 836 people have been sent back since September.Other figures show that member states have made available 201 experts out of the 374 requested by the European support asylum office (EASO) and 447 border guards out of the 775 requested by the Frontex border agency.Member states also pledged €575.45 million for the different funds set up to support programmes for refugees and displaced people, leaving a €2.2 billion shortfall compared to what they agreed in the autumn.Tusk called on member states to "implement our agreements in full", while EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, who spoke after him in the parliament, said that the conjunction of crises "requires to break out of national selfishness and return to the pioneering spirit"."When I hear there is no European response to the refugee crisis, it's at the same time false and true," Juncker said."If member states had implemented policy we have put forward we we would be in a better situation than we now are," he added, reminding critical member states that "Brussels is them too".-UK talks-Speaking about the other current main challenge for the EU, the negotiations over British membership, Tusk said that an agreement at the next EU summit in February "will not be easy but it is still possible"."In the run-up to the February European Council, I will table a concrete proposal for a deal with the UK to all EU leaders", he said.Tusk said there would be "no compromise on fundamental values like non-discrimination and free movement" but that he could do "everything in my power to find a satisfactory solution, also for the British side".He also suggested that a deal would not guarantee that the UK would remain in the EU."As of today the result of the referendum is more unpredictable than ever before," he noted."Time is of the essence here," he said. British prime minister David Cameron, for his part, has said several times that "what matters is getting the substance right, not the speed of the deal".
German minister criticises Merkel's 'friendly face' on migrants By Eric Maurice-jan 19,16-euobserver
BRUSSELS, Today, 09:30-Germany must be ready to "prepare a plan B" against the mass arrival of migrants and be ready to close its borders, German transport minister Alexander Dobrindt has said, in a direct challenge to chancellor Angela Merkel's policy."We need a quick change in the situation," Dobrindt said in an interview published in the Muenchner Merkur daily on Tuesday (19 January)."We must prepare ourselves for not being able to avoid border closures,” he said. "We must quickly agree on that with the other countries on the refugee route.""It is not enough to show the world a friendly face," he added, referring to an expression used by Merkel last September to justify her policy of welcoming all Syrian refugees to Germany.Dobrindt is from the CSU, the Bavarian sister party of Merkel's Christian democrat CDU, which has been critical of the chancellor's policy from the start.-Still 'the right one'?-His interview is the most open criticism of Merkel yet to come from her own coalition government.It comes at a time when her authority on the refugee issue is being challenged by events in Cologne and other cities on New Year's Eve, when dozens of men, mainly of north African or Middle Eastern origin, including migrants, sexually assaulted women on the streets.On Sunday, Bild, Germany’s most popular daily, asked on its first page whether Merkel is "still the right one".Under the headline, it listed Germany's - and Merkel's - current problems: "Lack of respect, lack of authority, power struggles … terrorism, criminality, overstrained authorities.”It concluded: "Merkel's refugee policy [is] at the point of failure."Coming from a newspaper known for its populist tendencies, but which has, overall, supported Merkel's "Wilkommenspolitik”, the story could signal a change of fortune for the chancellor.In the interview with the Muenchner Merkur, Dobrindt also pointed out the lack of support for her ideas in Europe-"Who speaks of a coalition of the willing to manage this crisis must also name the reality," he said, referring to a group of countries which Merkel has tried to rally to organise relocation and resettlement of refugees in Europe."On this issue there is a pact of the unwilling against us," Dobrindt said.-Pressure builds-So far, just 322 refugees out of a 160,000 quotas have been relocated from Italy and Greece to other EU countries, putting a cloud over Germany's main ideas on how to face the crisis at EU level.Merkel has so far resisted calls, especially from the CSU, to limit the number of migrants coming to Germany. But she said she would try to "noticeably reduce the number of refugees", after more than 1 million people sought asylum in 2015.-The pressure could increase further.Austria's interior minister, Johanna Mikl-Leitner, has said that from the end of this week, she will let through only migrants who intend to seek asylum in Germany.On Wednesday, the Austrian federal government will also hold a summit with regions and local authorities to define means to "clearly reduce" the number of refugees.-'Visionary decisions'-While Merkel is being increasingly criticised, the director of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), William Lacy Swing, said he had "the greatest admiration for Merkel and her visionary and courageous decisions"."We hoped that all 28 EU member states would imitate her and take responsibility. They did not but that doesn't weaken the admiration and the praise for Merkel's right decisions," he told the Die Welt newspaper.
Ukraine debunks YouTube terror threat against Netherlands By Andrew Rettman-euobserver
BRUSSELS, 19. Jan, 19:36-The Azov Regiment, a squad of irregular, nationalist fighters in Ukraine, has debunked a YouTube clip threatening terrorist attacks if Dutch people vote No in a referendum on the EU-Ukraine trade treaty.Andriy Diachenko, Azov’s deputy commander, said in a video statement on Tuesday (19 January) that they did not create the clip, adding that it was “laughable” because Azov is against EU integration.“Azov members, as befits Ukrainian nationalists, have always perceived the idea of Ukraine joining the European Union negatively, instead supporting the idea of a Baltic-Black Sea alternative union,” he said.He added the clip uses replica AK47s instead of real ones.The Ukrainian foreign ministry in Kiev also told the Dutch ambassador the clip is fake.Kees Verhoeven, a Dutch MP with the social-liberal D66 party, called for a government investigation into Russian attempts to influence the outcome of the vote.The original clip was published on Monday on a previously unused YouTube account entitled “Patriot” in Ukrainian.It shows balaclava-clad men with Azov insignia burn a Dutch flag.-Pro-Russian propaganda-Recalling the Paris terror attacks, one of the men says: “Dear Dutchmen, don't you dare go against Ukraine. It will end very badly for you.”“We will find you everywhere. In a movie … in your bedroom, public transport. We have our guys in the Netherlands and they are ready to obey any order."For Ukrainian journalists and civil society activists, the Patriot video bears the hallmarks of pro-Russian propaganda.But it caused a stir in Dutch online circles. The popular news blog geenstijl.nl said that even if the clip is fake the risk of an attack by Ukrainian fighters is real.Roman Sohn, a columnist for the Ukrainska Pravda website, told EUobserver: “The video is being used as a ‘foot in the door’ manoeuvre to start a public debate on Nazi fascists in Ukraine to disparage the integration aspirations of Ukrainians.”“Russian propagandists are very effective,” he added.“Even when people distrust the authenticity of their messages the messages still do harm because people subconsciously embrace the underlying emotional connotations.”The Ukraine referendum, due on 6 April, comes after a petition organised by Dutch NGOs.It’s non-binding and the EU-Ukraine treaty has already entered into force. But European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker recently warned that a No could “open the door to a big continental crisis”.-Fake stories-For its part, the Dutch government has said it will campaign for a Yes because the treaty is good for Dutch trade and for European security.But it’s keeping the campaign low profile in the hope the turnout falls below the threshhold of 30 percent.The EU foreign service, last year, created a small unit, East StratCom, to also debunk fake Russian stories.It publishes a regular review called Disinformation Weekly. The latest trend, it says, is fake stories purportedly taken from Western media.One story, shortly after New Year's Eve, said the BBC had reported that Ukrainian leader Petro Poroshenko had been hospitalised after being found drunk under a Christmas tree. The BBC had never published such a report.
Too much, too soon: cities ask feds for a break from taking in Syrian refugees-[The Canadian Press]-Stephanie Levitz, The Canadian Press-January 19, 2016-yahoonews
OTTAWA - Two cities, Vancouver and Ottawa, are taking a break from accepting any more government-assisted Syrian refugees as agencies in both cities try to work through housing bottlenecks.A surge of arrivals in the last month filled temporary housing to capacity and the settlement groups responsible say they need time to move people into permanent homes before they can accept any new cases.The director of settlement for the Immigrant Services Society of B.C. says the pause in Vancouver will last five days, beginning Tuesday. Even though the group added 700 beds to its housing stock, it is still taking time to find permanent homes, Chris Friesen said."Nobody is stuck in an airport for a week or something like that," he said. "Overseas, what it means is either they will put them on later flights or they may (send) them to new centres that have current capacity just to keep the flow going," he said.Friesen said it also took more time than expected for the federal Immigration Department to process the cheques newcomers use to pay for their first homes and other needs.In Ottawa, officials had been gearing up for large numbers of privately sponsored refugees but what came first was the influx of government-assisted ones, filling the available beds. A delay in accepting new government-assisted refugees could last as long as a week."The timing just needs to be spread out a bit, it's just been this huge influx over a two-week period," said Leslie Emory, the executive director of the Ottawa Immigrant Community Services Organization.The pause only applies to government-assisted refugees, those whose costs are covered entirely by the federal government.Upon arrival in Canada, they are sent to one of 36 cities that have resettlement agreements with the government. Of the 25,000 Syrians the Liberals plan to bring in by the end of February, about 15,000 are to be part of that category and 5,932 have arrived so far.An early element of the resettlement plan called for refugees to be housed temporarily at military bases in Ontario and Quebec until permanent homes could be found, but that is now considered an option of last resort. No bases have taken refugees so far.A spokesperson for the Immigration Department said the size of the refugee resettlement operations brings challenges and the department is working with communities buckling under the strain. The spokesperson did not immediately say whether other communities had requested a pause.Privately sponsored refugees will continue to arrive in both Vancouver and Ottawa.Immigration Minister John McCallum said Monday the resettlement challenge is on the government's mind. One thing he said is under consideration is finding a way to get Syrians into more French-speaking communities.McCallum says more than 90 per cent of refugees that have arrived don't speak either of the official languages, creating what he calls a blank slate for refugees and provinces to teach them either English or French.But language-training courses are in high demand across the country. Friesen said. While some cities have no wait lists, others see new immigrants wait for over a year.— With files from Jordan Press in Saint Andrews, N.B.
Top echelon of military shuffled as Liberals retools Canadian ISIL mission-[The Canadian Press]-The Canadian Press-January 19, 2016-yahoonews
OTTAWA - The Canadian navy and army will be getting new commanders in the near future.The country's top military commander, Gen. Jonathan Vance, has announced the annual series of promotions and retirements among the top brass of the armed forces.The changes, although routine, come at a critical time as the Trudeau government resets the country's strategy in the war against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.The current deputy commander of the military, Lt.-Gen. Guy Thibault, will retire and be replaced by Vice-Admiral Mark Norman, who currently helms the navy.At the same time, Rear-Admiral Ron Lloyd will take over as navy commander.Also among the retirements is Canada's military representative at NATO, Vice-Admiral Bob Davidson, who will be replaced in Brussels by the current commander of the army, Lt.-Gen. Marquis Haines, who has held the post for almost three years.The new top soldier will be Maj.-Gen. Paul Wynnyk, will be promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general in the near future.Also among the retirements is Maj.-Gen. Dean Milner, the country's last task force commander during the Kandahar combat mission.The various changes of command will take place over the next several months.
Reports: Canada not invited to Paris defence ministers' to discuss ISIL fight-[The Canadian Press]-January 19, 2016-yahoonews
OTTAWA - Media reports say Canada has not been invited to a meeting of defence ministers in Paris this week to discuss the fight against Islamic State militants.Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan’s office has confirmed to CBC News and the Globe and Mail that he won't attend Wednesday's meeting.The reports say defence ministers from the United States, Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Australia and the Netherlands will take part in the talks.Sajjan spokesman Renee Filiatrault told the Globe that Canada's plan to pull its CF-18s from the fight against ISIL had nothing to do with Canada's exclusion from the meeting.Omar Alghabra, the parliamentary secretary to Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion, told the CBC it wasn't a surprise as those seven countries meet regularly without Canada and the only thing different this time it that defence ministers will be there.But Conservative defence critic James Bezan said the apparent snub shows Canada is no longer seen as a valuable ally.
Juncker appoints Swede as social advisor-By EUOBSERVER
19. Jan, 17:09-EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker has appointed Swedish former social democrat minister Allan Larsson as special advisor for a new 'social rights pillar' aimed at taking "account of the changing realities of the world of work". Larsson has worked as commission director-general for employment and advisor to the ILO.
Belgian nuclear plants under scrutiny by neighbour countries By Peter Teffer-euobserver
Berlin, 19. Jan, 19:04-The German environment minister, Barbara Hendricks, is planning a meeting with her Belgian counterpart, Marie Christine Marghem, about the safety of Belgium's nuclear power plants, according to her deputy.The talk will follow a visit by the Dutch environment minister, Melanie Schultz van Haegen, to one of plants on Wednesday (20 January).Belgium has a lot of explaining to do these days about problems it has had at the site of its two nuclear power plants: Tihange, which is around 70 kilometres from the German border, and Doel, only a few kilometres from the Dutch border.There have been various incidents in the non-nuclear parts of the plants which have led to temporary shutdowns. On 6 January 2016, when the Doel 3 reactor was reconnected to the grid, that marked the first time since March 2014 that all seven reactors in Belgium were operational.The many reports of incidents have made citizens in neighbouring countries – the Netherlands, Germany, and Luxembourg – worried.'Very tricky issue'-“It's a very tricky issue, very sensitive,” Jochen Flasbarth, the German state secretary for environment, responsible for nuclear safety in Germany, told EUobserver in Berlin.“We have the sovereignty of each and every state to decide on their [energy] portfolio and their energy mix. It is their sovereignty to decide whether to have or to exclude the use of nuclear,” Flasbarth said.He was speaking at a meeting about Germany's nuclear phase-out, organised by think tank Clean Energy Wire.“Of course they also have the sovereignty to ensure the proper and safe running and operation of their facilities. There are some institutional arrangements in Europe ... to strengthen their ability to ensure the safe running of their facilities.”“But of course, people get concerned if they hear about some problems, for example now at the moment in Belgium at Tihange, and Doel,” he said.Belgium earlier this month organised a technical workshop to inform its European neighbours about the issues.“There were some remaining questions and these have been submitted by my minister to [interior] minister [Jan] Jambon. After exchanging some more information on a technical level there will be a personal meeting between the two ministers”, said Flasbarth, adding he has also discussed the issue with his Luxembourgian colleague.But the debate is predominantly about technical issues, the official noted.“What we do is we exchange information, we ask questions ... based principally on technical, scientific issues. Not political,” said Flasbarth, adding he would not argue that Belgium “doesn't have the right to use nuclear” or should phase out of nuclear power completely, as Germany has set itself out to do by 2022.-Court cases-However, not all politicians follow that reasoning as strictly.Several Dutch and German local politicians have argued for the closure of the reactors, which went operational between 1975 and 1985.The municipal council of the Dutch city Maastricht has asked the local government to force the shutdown of Tihange through the court, following in the footsteps of the German city Aachen, which is considering the legal options.Meanwhile, Belgian minister Jambon's spokesperson announced Monday that the ministry would improve communications with its neighbouring countries.Jambon and Dutch environment minister Schultz van Haegen will visit Doel on Wednesday morning, while the Dutch and Belgian nuclear safety authorities conduct a joint inspection.
Israeli diplomats soften EU policy on settlements By Andrew Rettman-euobserver
BRUSSELS, 18. Jan, 20:33-Forceful Israeli diplomacy led to changes in an EU statement on “unequivocally and explicitly” differentiating between Israel and the occupied West Bank.The final version, agreed by foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday (18 January), focuses on the letter of EU-Israel acords.“The EU expresses its commitment to ensure that ... all agreements between the state of Israel and the EU must unequivocally and explicitly indicate their inapplicability to the territories occupied by Israel in 1967,” it says.An earlier draft, circulated by the EU foreign service, amounted to a more far-reaching policy declaration.“The EU will continue to unequivocally and explicitly make the distinction between Israel and all territories occupied by Israel in 1967,” the draft said.Israeli diplomats, according to reports in Israeli media, had targeted the Czech Republic, Cyprus, and Greece in the run-up to Monday to try to soften or delay the statement.Greece vetoed the draft text on Friday, saying it was “unbalanced” against Israel.EU sources said Bulgaria, Cyprus, Poland, and Romania joined the Greek complaint. But the Czech Republic and Germany stayed silent, while the Netherlands, also known as a friend of Israel, supported the draft.The Israeli concern is that the more forceful and wide-ranging the wording, the more likely the EU, or individual states, will be to take additional anti-settler steps in future by reference to the Council conclusions.The EU, already last year, published a code for retailers on how to label settler exports.EU diplomats based in Ramallah, the de facto Palestinian capital, have, in the past, suggested other measures, such as a visa ban on known violent settlers.The final version of the EU conclusions also softens criticism of Israel's plan to crack down on foreign-funded NGOs.The final text speaks of “the importance of unhindered work of civil society” in Israel and Palestine. The earlier version spoke of “attempts to stifle civil society.”In an another concession to Israel, the final text heaps blame on Hamas for rocket attacks, while making little mention of reciprocal Israeli fire.-Further action?-But the final text, as in the original, still says EU countries “will consider further action in order to protect the viability of the two-state solution” from settlement expansion.It still links Palestinian knife and car attacks on Israelis to the lack of a “political horizon” for peace talks.It also urges Israel, whose security forces killed 155 Palestinians in the past four months, to adhere to “necessity and proportionality in the use of force,” despite Israel’s recent fury at Swedish criticism of the Palestinian death toll.The EU foreign relations chief, Federica Mogherini, described the final text as “a good basis for our common position and our engagement with the Middle East Peace Process.”The Irish foreign minister, Charles Flanagan, whose country had, reportedly, pushed for stronger criticism of Israel, said: “Ireland firmly believes in a two-state solution and that’s not compatible with continued expansion of settlements.”He described life in Israeli-besieged Gaza, which he recently visited, as “horrific.”--Iran hopes-The ministers spent most of Monday discussing the situation in the wider Middle East and north Africa.They voiced hope the unity government deal in Libya will be respected and said Iran’s implementation of the nuclear non-proliferation deal bodes well for the Syria conflict.The EU is keen, as part of a UN-led process, to launch talks between the Syrian government, moderate opposition forces, and regional powers.Mogherini said Iran’s nuclear compliance means one of the most important regional actors can now play a bigger role in the talks.She also said she’s planning to visit Iran in spring to promote EU business and political ties.
Joint Statement on the Meeting of the Bilateral Commission of the Delegations of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and the Holy See’s Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews (Jerusalem, December 16/17, 2015; Tevet 4/5, 5776), 18.12.2015-vatican-[B1010]
1. The Bilateral Commission of the delegations of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and the Holy See’s Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews held its thirteenth meeting in Jerusalem at the offices of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung on the subject of “Migrants and Refugees – threat or opportunity?” . 2. Chief Rabbi Rasson Arousi, acting Chairman of the Jewish delegation, welcomed Cardinal Peter Turkson, Chairman of the Catholic delegation, and his colleagues. This was followed by a minute of silence in memory of Cardinal Jorge Mejia the first Catholic co-chair of the Bilateral Commission who had passed away since the last meeting was held. Tributes were paid to his historic contribution to the transformation in Catholic-Jewish relations, especially to be noted at a time of celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of Nostra Aetate. The participants also sought to convey wishes for a full and speedy recovery to Chief Rabbi Shear Yashuv Cohen. 3. The Jewish delegation took the opportunity to express its appreciation regarding the new document issued by the Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews on the occasion of the aforementioned anniversary. This document written for the Catholic faithful as a theological reflection on the relationship of the Church to the Jewish People and titled “The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (cf. Romans 11: 29), affirms the eternal validity of the Divine Covenant with the Jewish People who are called to be loyal to Torah. Accordingly the document affirms the integrity of the Jewish faith and understanding of Scripture and that there is no intent on the part of the Church to convert Jews. The text also refers with esteem to the meetings and statements of this bilateral committee of the Pontifical Commission with the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and urges greater cooperation between the Church and the Jewish People for a more just and peaceful world - for tikkun olam bmalkhut Shadai. 4. It was accordingly most appropriate that this meeting of the bilateral commission focused on the enormous current humanitarian crisis in the form of hundreds of thousands of refugees seeking asylum and the challenges this poses. 5. The presentations and discussion highlighted a number of issues: I. The tensions between the obligation to welcome and “love the stranger as yourself” (Lev. 19:34) while meeting one’s responsibilities to one’s own identity, society, community and specific religious mission. II. The challenge posed by migration raises a question mark regarding the fullness and authenticity of human existence and experience. It raises moral demands for respect for human dignity that no decent conscience can ignore. III. Accordingly Jews and Christians are called - a. To address these challenges and to do the utmost to ensure that the Divine Image, (Genesis 1:27) in which all humanity is created, is respected and fostered fully among migrant and refugee populations. b. To recognize immigrants as a blessed resource to be welcomed and respected for their human dignity, and as potential to contribute to the positive growth and development of society. c. To help influence public opinion and legislatures to regulate and more effectively implement immigration procedures, mindful of the preferred destinations of migrants themselves. 6. The Bilateral Commission was treated to a presentation on Israeli initiatives to address the plight of refugees and victims of conflict. Rabbi Rasson Arousi-(Chairman of the Jewish Delegation)-Cardinal Peter Kodwo Turkson-(Chairman of the Catholic Delegation)-Rabbi David Brodman-Patriarch Fouad Twal-Rabbi Professor Daniel Sperber-Archbishop Bruno Forte-Rabbi David Rosen-Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto-Mr Oded Wiener-Bishop Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo-Rabbi Shmuel Shapira-Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, O.F.M.-Msgr. Pier Francesco Fumagalli-Father Norbert Hofmann, S.D.B.
