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)
DANIEL 7:23-24
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast (EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TRADING BLOCKS-10 WORLD REGIONS/TRADE BLOCS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings(10 NATIONS-10 WORLD DIVISION WORLD GOVERNMENT) that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.(EITHER THE EUROPEAN UNION DICTATOR BOOTS 3 COUNTRIES FROM THE EU OR THE DICTATOR TAKES OVER THE WORLD ECONOMY BY CONTROLLING 3 WORLD TRADE BLOCS)
REVELATION 17:9-13
9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.(THE VATICAN IS BUILT ON 7 HILLS OR MOUNTAINS)
10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen,(1-ASSYRIA,2-EGYPT,3-BABYLON,4-MEDO-PERSIA,5-GREECE) and one is,(IN POWER IN JOHNS AND JESUS DAY-6-ROME) and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.(7TH-REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE OR THE EUROPEAN UNION TODAY AND THE SHORT SPACE IS-7 YEARS.THE EUROPEAN UNION WILL HAVE WORLD CONTROL FOR THE LAST 3 1/2 YEARS.BUT WILL HAVE ITS MIGHTY WORLD POWER FOR THE FULL 7 YEARS OF THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD.AND THE WORLD DICTATOR WILL BE THE BEAST FROM THE EU.AND THE VATICAN POPE WILL BE THE WHORE THAT RIDES THE EUROPEAN UNION TO POWER.AND THE 2 EUROPEAN UNION POWER FREAKS WILL CONTROL AND DECIEVE THE WHOLE EARTH INTO THEIR DESTRUCTION.IF YOU ARE NOT SAVED BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS.YOU WILL BE DECIEVED BY THESE TWO.THE WORLD POLITICIAN-THE EUROPEAN UNION DICTATOR.AND THE FALSE PROPHET THAT DEFECTS CHRISTIANITY-THE FALSE VATICAN POPE.
11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
Heres the scripture 1 week = 7 yrs Genesis 29:27-29
27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week:(7 YEARS) and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.
29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.
DANIEL 9:26-27
26 And after threescore and two weeks(62X7=434 YEARS+7X7=49 YEARS=TOTAL OF 69 WEEKS OR 483 YRS) shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary;(ROMAN LEADERS DESTROYED THE 2ND TEMPLE) and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.(THERE HAS TO BE 70 WEEKS OR 490 YRS TO FUFILL THE VISION AND PROPHECY OF DAN 9:24).(THE NEXT VERSE IS THAT 7 YR WEEK OR (70TH FINAL WEEK).
27 And he ( THE ROMAN,EU PRESIDENT) shall confirm the covenant (PEACE TREATY) with many for one week:(1X7=7 YEARS) and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,(3 1/2 yrs in TEMPLE ANIMAL SACRIFICES STOPPED) and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
EU urges UK to clarify its Brexit positions By Eszter Zalan-JULY 20,17-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 17:06-The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, called on the UK to clarify its position on the financial settlement and accept the jurisdiction of the EU’s top court on citizens’ rights. This came at the end of the first full round of Brexit discussions on Thursday (20 July).After agreeing to a negotiating calendar in a first round last month, the EU and the UK sides presented their positions this week, and attempted to identify points of agreement and disagreement."These were robust talks this week that require flexibility on both sides,” UK Brexit minister David Davis said in a joint press conference.But Barnier stressed that, for serious negotiations to begin, the UK needs to present its own position on how it wants to settle its financial obligations persisting after Brexit.“Clarification on the UK position is indispensable ... [what] we want is an orderly withdrawal for the UK. That means accounts must be settled,” the French politician said.The UK only accepted last week, in principle, that it would need to pay to settle its outstanding obligations with the EU after Brexit.During the second round of negotiations this week, the EU has presented the legal basis underpinning its argument for a financial settlement to the UK negotiators.For now, the only convergence between the two sides is on "the recognition of obligations surviving the withdrawal date”, a senior EU official said, adding that reaching a settlement will not be an incremental process.There was no exact figure presented by the EU, nor is it asked of the UK. Negotiators still need to agree on a methodology and on what areas the settlement should cover.“We have drawn up a list on what should be covered, we need to see what the UK approach is,” the official said.-EU law = EU court-The EU’s chief negotiator also warned that any EU law that continues to be applied after Brexit, particularly citizens’ rights, would have to be protected by the European Court of Justice (ECJ).The ECJ is a red line for prime minister Theresa May’s government.Barnier said, however, that if EU law is involved, only the ECJ can act as a guarantor."Quite frankly, we can see no alternative to the ECJ for enforcing citizens' rights,” Barnier said, adding that this is a "fundamental divergence" between the EU and the UK positions.“This is not a political point, but a legal one. If there is to be continuity of EU law, only the court [ECJ] can interpret EU law. That’s not a choice, but an obligation,” he insisted.Officials pointed out that the court associated with European Free Trade Association (EFTA) - the free trade area including Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland - also follows ECJ rulings, thus it cannot be seen as an alternative for the UK.Throughout the week, the negotiating working groups focused on the key issues - citizens’ rights, financial settlement, and the border in Ireland - which need to be tackled before Barnier can suggest to the 27 member states that “sufficient progress” has been made, allowing discussions on future relations to start.That is foreseen for October, with three rounds of talks ahead until then. But officials say that an extra round could be added if the “sufficient progress” point is within reach.-Discord on citizens' rights-The positions presented this week are still far apart, even on such issues as citizens’ rights, where both sides agree that a swift solution is needed to provide certainty for the over 4 million people caught up in Brexit.There are disagreements on the rights of future family members of EU nationals in the UK, and carrying certain social benefits to other countries.The UK side is concerned that British citizens living on the continent might not be able to move around the EU after Brexit.The EU argues for reciprocity, saying EU nationals should also be able to continue to move around the 27 member states after Brexit, and stresses that this issue is part of the negotiations.The UK has also indicated to EU negotiators that it wants to run criminal checks on EU nationals post-Brexit, under UK law. The EU side said that it would want to see more details on this issue.A source close to the talks said that more internal thinking was needed on both sides.The issue of the UK leaving the Euratom treaty, Europe's nuclear agreement, also came up, but the EU needs clarity on a safeguard mechanism that the UK plans to put in place instead of the current agreement.There was a round of discussions on the common travel area between Ireland and Northern Ireland and the preservation of the Good Friday agreement - to ensure that the peace deal is not put in jeopardy by Brexit.The next round of talks will begin on 28 August.
Polish parliament steps up showdown with EU By Eric Maurice-JULY 20,17-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 17:55-The Polish parliament adopted a controversial reform of the Supreme Court on Thursday (20 July), stepping up a showdown with the EU.The law, which puts the Supreme Court under government control, was passed with 235 votes against 192 and 23 abstentions, just a day after the European Commission had called on Polish authorities to suspend the bill or face a rule of law procedure that could lead to sanctions."We are coming very close to triggering Article 7," the EU executive vice president Frans Timmermans warned on Wednesday, referring to a rule of law procedure.The vote led the president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, who is a former Polish prime minister, to publish a statement calling for a solution to a "very serious situation".Tusk said that he proposed a meeting with Polish president Andrej Duda to try to avoid "bleak outcomes which could ultimately lead to the marginalisation of Poland in Europe."He said that the reforms carried out by the Polish government were a "dangerous tendency"."They transport us - in the political sense - in time and in space: backwards and eastwards," he said, adding that they "ruin an already tarnished public opinion of Polish democracy.""Please let us try, Mr President," he urged Duda and called on "serious partners" from Warsaw to talk with the EU.The Supreme Court reform was passed despite the EU's warnings but with a few changes compared to earlier drafts.Under the adopted text, the president of the republic - not the justice minister - will lay down the rules of procedure for the Supreme Court.Also, the president - again, not the justice minister - will also decide which judges may keep their seat in the court when the new law comes into force in 30 days, rather than 14 days as originally planned.A new disciplinary chamber within the Supreme Court will be introduced and disciplinary judges will earn 40 percent more than other judges."We are finishing with the state within the state," justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro said on Thursday.He argued that "raising ethical and moral standards" within the judiciary is necessary,and that this "can only happen by bringing a disciplinary chamber to the Supreme Court.""We want the judges to be impartial and give fair and just sentences," he said."You are destroying the right of Poles to an independent court, destroying the foundations of freedom and parliamentary democracy," Grzegorz Schetyna, the leader of the centre-right opposition Civic Platform said during the parliament debate.Lawmakers also adopted amendments to a law that was passed last Friday to reform the National Council of the Judiciary (NCJ).Under the amendments, members of the NCJ will be chosen by parliament with a three-fifth majority, instead of the simple majority as planned in the text adopted last week. The change was a condition set by president Andrej Duda to sign the law.On Wednesday, commissioner Timmermans had said that the law, together with two other texts passed last week about the appointment of judges, "considerably increase the systemic threats to the rule of law in Poland.""Each law, if adopted, would seriously erode the independence of judiciary. Collectively they would abolish any remaining judicial independence and put the judiciary under full political control of the government," Timmermans said.He added that the consequence of the reforms would be that "judges will serve at the pleasure of the political leaders."The commission will discuss the situation next Wednesday (26 July). It will adopt a third recommendation under the rule of law probe that was launched last year after a reform of the Polish constitutional court, and it will launch infringement procedures for breach of EU law.After Thursday's vote, if the Polish government does not back down, the EU executive could also trigger Article 7 for the first time in EU history.The procedure would have to be confirmed by member states with a qualified majority. Several countries, like Hungary, have said they would oppose the move. But Timmermans assured on Wednesday that the commission's concerns are "broadly shared" by member states.
OZONE DEPLETION JUDGEMENT ON THE EARTH DUE TO SIN
ISAIAH 30:26-27
26 Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold,(7X OR 7-DEGREES HOTTER) as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people,(ISRAEL) and healeth the stroke of their wound.
27 Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire:
MATTHEW 24:21-22,29
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened,(DAY LIGHT HOURS SHORTENED) there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake (ISRAELS SAKE) those days shall be shortened (Daylight hours shortened)(THE ASTEROID HITS EARTH HERE)
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
REVELATION 16:7-9
7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS
REVELATION 8:7
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
At least 41 homes in Cariboo destroyed by wildfires-[CBC]-YAHOONEWS-July 19, 2017
At least 41 Cariboo homes have been destroyed by the wildfires burning through the region.Cariboo Regional District chair Al Richmond says district staff are going into areas hit by fires to assess damages whenever it's safe.He says the current number of homes lost only reflects what they have been able to find so far."As we go into areas, we don't know what to expect," he said. "I believe it's quite likely the number will still go up."District spokesperson Emily Epp says staff aim to be respectful in cataloguing destroyed homes and are attempting to notify the property owners before releasing anything publicly.Williams Lake in holding pattern-Williams Lake officials said on Wednesday that residents of the evacuated city should not expect an immediate return.The city and surrounding areas, which may have as many as 24,000 residents, were placed under evacuation order Saturday.Chief administrative officer Milo MacDonald says city staff are monitoring the situation in town carefully and are looking for the earliest possible time for residents to return home."That's still a little ways off based on the risk profile," he said. "But we're getting a lot closer to dealing with some of the logistics."Mayor Walt Cobb says the ultimate goal is to make the eventual return to the city "as safe as can be."
California wildfire near Yosemite burning over 70,000 acres-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-July 20, 2017
(Reuters) - A raging wildfire in central California that has forced thousands from their homes spread rapidly on Thursday, threatening a town outside Yosemite National Park, fire officials said.The so-called Detwiler Fire, which is menacing Mariposa and other communities in the Sierra Nevada foothills, is only 10 percent contained, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, said on its website.More than 3,000 firefighters battled that fire that has advanced over 70,096 acres (28,366 hectares), Cal Fire said, an increase of more than 22,000 acres since early Thursday morning.The Detwiler Fire was threatening some 1,500 structures and power lines supplying electricity to Yosemite National Park, according to Cal Fire. The park remained open to visitors on Thursday.Mariposa is 50 miles from Yosemite National Park, Cal Fire spokeswoman Shanelle Saunders said on Thursday.Saunders said the biggest concern with the park right now was the air quality due to heavy smoke.Mariposa's 2,000 residents were told to leave town on Tuesday after its power and water links were damaged. Nearly 5,000 people are ordered to leave their homes, officials said. Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency for Mariposa County on Tuesday.The town's hospital, the John C. Fremont Healthcare District, and its 14 patients were not evacuated, the facility's interim Chief Executive Matthew Matthiessen said.Lack of humidity overnight allowed the fire to quickly consume drought-stricken dense areas of shrubs and small trees, Cal Fire said. The cause of the fire is under investigation.The small communities of Coulterville and Greeley Hill were evacuated on Wednesday.The Detwiler Fire was among 37 large fires across 12 western states as of Wednesday, according to the National Interagency Fire Center's website.(Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee and Gina Cherelus in New York; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Toni Reinhold)
Smoke, air quality in Edmonton expected to yo-yo over coming weeks-[CBC]-YAHOONEWS-July 19, 2017
Air quality in Edmonton and surrounding areas is expected to reach the highest risk level Wednesday night as the smoke from more than 100 wildfires burning in central British Columbia moves through Alberta.Environment Canada is projecting the Air Quality Health Index will reach a maximum of 8 overnight before tapering off to 7 on Thursday.But that won't be the end of the air quality roller coaster."It's going to be a temporary respite from this sort of pattern we're seeing," Brian Proctor, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, told CBC News Wednesday."As long as those fires are active in British Columbia — and they appear to be doing very little in the way of calming down from a weather condition point of view — we're going to see smoke," he said. "Sort of episodic events through central Alberta through much of the next few weeks."August tends to be the most active time for forest fires in B.C., said Warren McCormick, an air quality specialist with the B.C. Ministry of Environment."Our forest fire season is just ramping up, and it could extend easily into the end of August and September," he said.-Deep into the lungs-Smoke from burning wood is made up of lots of small particles — particles smaller than pollen and dust — that get deep inside the lungs, Dr. Raj Bhardwaj told Edmonton AM Wednesday morning."So because those particles get deeper into the lungs, they can cause a lot more irritation and inflammation," Bhardwaj explained.That results in the burning at the back of the throat and a dry cough, he said."It can also get into your eyes and give you the stingy eyes in the morning,"Bhardwaj said people with chronic lung problems should stay indoors when the AQHI is high and people with heart problems also need to be aware."It's hard to move oxygen from your lungs into your blood when you have exposure to wood smoke like this, and of course that increases how hard your heart has to work. Your heart is the pump that helps us to do that."
SpaceX chief says 1st launch of big new rocket will be risky-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-July 19, 2017
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — SpaceX's chief says the first launch of its big new rocket is risky and stands "a real good chance" of failure.Founder Elon Musk told a space station research conference Wednesday he wants to set realistic expectations for the flight later this year from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Falcon Heavy will have three boosters instead of one, and 27 engines instead of nine, all of which must ignite simultaneously. No one will be aboard the initial flights. When it comes time to add people, Musk says they'll have to be brave.SpaceX plans to fly two paying customers to the moon in 2018, using a Falcon Heavy.Musk says he'd like to ride one of his smaller Falcon rockets to the International Space Station in three or four years.Marcia Dunn, The Associated Press.
Whirling disease prompts fishing restrictions in Banff-area creek-[CBC]-YAHOONEWS-July 19, 2017
Parks Canada has restricted fishing in Cuthead Creek in Banff National Park to protect cutthroat trout from whirling disease.It is also restricting boating and swimming in the creek — although people will be allowed to wade across it on official trails if there is no bridge."Lab results have confirmed presence of whirling disease in Banff National Park," said Parks Canada in a statement."This parasitic disease affects some fish species but does not present any health risks for people or other mammals."Parks says the westslope cutthroat trout is a threatened species, so they are trying to protect its habitat from the whirling disease parasite.Violators could be charged under the Canada National Parks Act, which has a maximum penalty of $25,000.More information can be found on the Parks Canada website.
WORLD POWERS IN THE LAST DAYS (END OF AGE OF GRACE NOT THE WORLD)
EUROPEAN UNION-KING OF WEST-DAN 9:26-27,DAN 7:23-24,DAN 11:40,REV 13:1-10
EGYPT-KING OF THE SOUTH-DAN 11:40
RUSSIA-KING OF THE NORTH-EZEK 38:1-2,EZEK 39:1-3
CHINA-KING OF THE EAST-DAN 11:44,REV 9:16,18
VATICAN-RELIGIOUS LEADER-REV 13:11-18,REV 17:4-5,9,18
WORLD TERRORISM
OH BY THE WAY WHEN THE MEDIA SAYS ALLU-AK-BAR MEANS GOD IS GREAT LIE. IN ISLAM ALLU-AK-BAR MEANS OUR GOD IS GREATER OR GREATEST. THIS IS HOW THE MEDIA SUCK HOLES UP TO ISLAMIC-QURANIC-MUSLIMS. BY WATERING DOWN THE REAL MEANING OF THE SEX FOR MURDER DEATH CULT ISLAM. TO MAKE IT SOUND LIKE A PEACEFUL RELIGION (CULT OF DEATH AND WORLD DOMINATION).
GENESIS 6:11-13
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.(WORLD TERRORISM,MURDERS)(HAMAS IN HEBREW IS VIOLENCE)
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence (TERRORISM)(HAMAS) through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
GENESIS 16:11-12
11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her,(HAGAR) Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael;(FATHER OF THE ARAB/MUSLIMS) because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
12 And he (ISHMAEL-FATHER OF THE ARAB-MUSLIMS) will be a wild (DONKEY-JACKASS) man;(ISLAM IS A FAKE AND DANGEROUS SEX FOR MURDER CULT) his hand will be against every man,(ISLAM HATES EVERYONE) and every man's hand against him;(PROTECTING THEMSELVES FROM BEING BEHEADED) and he (ISHMAEL ARAB/MUSLIM) shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.(LITERAL-THE ARABS LIVE WITH THEIR BRETHERN JEWS)
ISAIAH 14:12-14
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer,(SATAN) son of the morning!(HEBREW-CRECENT MOON-ISLAM) how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I (SATAN HAS EYE TROUBLES) will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.(AND 1/3RD OF THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN FELL WITH SATAN AND BECAME DEMONS)
JOHN 16:2
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.(ISLAM MURDERS IN THE NAME OF MOON GOD ALLAH OF ISLAM)
Europe's female imams challenge Muslim patriarchy – and fight Islamophobia-[Christian Science Monitor]-Sara Miller Llana-YAHOONEWS-July 19, 2017
Sherin Khankan flits about the window sills, lighting wicks and placing bouquets of roses in just the right places as she prepares for Friday prayers.“We being women, there is always a lot of candles and flowers,” explains Denmark’s first female imam, placing a single, deep pink rose in a potted plant.A second-floor walk-up off an upscale street in Copenhagen, the Mariam mosque indeed feels as snug as it does spiritual, and is intended foremost as a faith community for Danish Muslims who’ve failed to find one at more traditional mosques.But the efforts here, the first of their kind in Denmark, could have a much wider impact. Ms. Khankan says by challenging patriarchal structures, she and other women imams – they use the term "imamas" – can help counter growing Islamophobia across Europe. The imamas are undertaking the challenge amid a spate of terrorist attacks by Islamist extremists and raging political and cultural debates over everything from burkinis to Islam’s place in Europe.“It’s very difficult to hold onto the narrative that Muslim women are suppressed, that Islam is a suppressive religion in its essence, when they can see that women are taking the lead and building up their own female-led mosque," says Khankan. "This is in itself proof that this anti-Islamic rhetoric is incorrect. It’s not the total picture.”The Mariam mosque is rare but is not the first of its kind. Women have served as imams since the early 19th century in China, and now preach from the United States to South Africa. In June a well-known Muslim feminist, Seyran Ates, whose parents came to Germany as Turkish guest-workers, opened a liberal mosque in Berlin to welcome all sects of Islam, Muslims of all sexual orientation, and men and women to worship together. “There's so much Islamist terror and so much evilness happening in the name of my religion,” she told the Associated Press, “it's important that we, the modern and liberal Muslims, also show our faces in public.”Mistrust of the Muslim community has deepened since 9/11, especially in the era of the so-called Islamic State. Denmark has not been spared. Copenhagen witnessed its own attack in February 2015. Ten years earlier, cartoons of the prophet Muhammad published by the Danish Jyllands-Posten newspaper sparked riots around the globe and thrust Denmark into the center of a debate over freedom of speech and cultural values. At the same time, many observers say the anti-Muslim rhetoric of the Danish People’s Party has hardened views, and politics, around immigration and Islam.Lissi Rasmussen, a pastor and chairwoman of the Center for Coexistence, says that in this environment, young Danish Muslims have trouble finding a place to worship that they can identify with. “The young people, most of them don’t go to established mosques where they speak of the politics of Turkey, for instance, with imported imams,” she says. “That’s the older generation. They don’t feel at home there.”That’s what has drawn many to the Mariam mosque. One member, Lea, who is half Iranian, half Nordic, attended a predominantly Shia mosque in Copenhagen before this but often found herself “irritated,” she says.“In Copenhagen, I feel a second-class citizen when I have to go all the way upstairs and not even look down at the men’s section,” she says. Instead, the 19-year-old gave her first khutbah (sermon) this day, after a rich, female voice sings the adhan (call to prayer).Her sermon was on the cultural traditions that get too easily conflated with the religion of Islam, including myths about forced marriage and polygamy. It’s a perfect 101 for non-Muslims, but a worshiper visiting the mosque for the first time also said afterwards that she planned to bring some of the lessons home to her own father.The Mariam mosque has been criticized on both sides. Traditionalists dismiss it as outside the realm of Islam. Ms. Khankan, the daughter of a Syrian refugee and Finnish mother who says she has bridged worlds her entire life, says not a single mainline imam from Denmark has visited. Progressives say it doesn’t go far enough. While the mosque is open to men and women, Friday midday prayers – the biggest weekly service – are reserved for women only, making them far less controversial than if women imams were to also preach to men.Khankan says she originally wanted to open it up to both but in hindsight says she’s happy she lost that fight. “When you want to create change you have to do it very slowly,” she says. “Now I can see that there is greater wisdom, because we are on totally safe ground.”Celebrating nearly one year since it opened for Friday prayers last August, today the mosque counts 100 members. They recently opened up a Sunday school for children and have performed over a dozen Islamic marriages – with Islamic contracts that enshrine a bride’s right to divorce and to the children on equal terms as the father in case of a divorce. The contract also says that in the cases of polygamy or violence, the marriage is annulled.On this day Khankan is in a lilac hijab and white jalabiyah, or robe covering, a gift from her father from Damascus, Syria, 15 years ago that she now wears as her “imama dress.” It’s symbolic because the inspiration to open this mosque came while she was doing her fieldwork for her thesis in Damascus, listening to the Grand Mufti and wondering what the words would be if he were a woman. “The inspiration came not from the West, but the East,” she says.Last year when she was getting dressed in the jalabiyah the day the mosque opened, her youngest daughter – then age 5 – had a friend over who was looking at her and whispered “What is an imama?”Khankan’s daughter, she says, looked at her mother and replied: “An imama is a woman who is doing great things.”A year later, she says, she does have faith that a small group of people can change mindsets. “I do believe that Islamophobes see progressive Muslims as a greater threat than Islamists,” she says, “because we are able to change the narrative of Islam in Europe.”
Racist sign found after Muslim cemetery project revived-[Yahoo Canada News]-Saif Alnuweiri-July 20, 2017
A sign has appeared outside a cemetery in the Quebec town of Saint-Honoré with an unmistakeable message, “Saguenay ville blanche.” The sign appeared shortly after the local Muslim association said it would attempt to revive a two-year-old plan to have space for Muslim burials in the town’s cemetery.The incident isn’t the first time the “Saguenay ville blanche” sign has been found. According to the Montreal Gazette, a similar sign appeared in 2014, along with xenophobic stickers.The town’s mayor has spoken out against the message behind the sign. In comments made to CBC, Saint-Honoré Mayor Bruno Tremblay said, “To have signs like this on our territory, it’s unacceptable.” The mayor was reportedly having breakfast at a diner when other patrons told him about the sign.“In 2017, we need to be more open-minded than that,” said Tremblay, adding that he had sent a work crew out to take the sign down. “Whether it’s a Muslim cemetery or a Catholic cemetery, or both, what does it change? … We’re all humans.”Much of the focus on cemetery spaces for the Muslim community only came to light after Alexandre Bissonnette killed of six worshippers at a Quebec City mosque while they were praying, one of the worst mass shootings in the country in years.The posting of the sign comes at an time of increased polarization between Quebecers and Muslims residents of the province. Last week, residents of another small town in the province, Saint-Apollinaire, voted against overturning zoning laws to allow the construction of a cemetery space for Muslims.
Israel faces mounting Palestinian anger over holy site metal detectors-[Reuters]-By Jeffrey Heller-YAHOONEWS-July 20, 2017
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu considered removing on Thursday metal detectors at a Jerusalem holy site after their installation following a deadly attack last week stirred up Palestinian protests and threats of escalation.There have been nightly confrontations between Palestinians hurling rocks and Israeli police using stun grenades in Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem since the devices were placed on Sunday at entrances to the Temple Mount-Noble Sanctuary compound.Tensions were high ahead of Friday prayers when thousands of Muslims usually flock to al-Aqsa mosque, Islam's third holiest shrine, in the compound above Judaism's sacred Western Wall.Palestinian factions vowed it would be a "day of rage" and confrontation with Israeli forces, which put five army regiments on standby to reinforce troops in the occupied West Bank.Muslim religious authorities say the metal detectors violate a delicate agreement on worship and security arrangements at the Jerusalem site and have urged Palestinians not to pass through. Prayers have been held near an entrance to the complex.Netanyahu held security consultations over the issue on his return to Israel from visits to France and Hungary. Israeli Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said Netanyahu was expected to decide on a course of action during the evening meeting.Far-right members of Netanyahu's government have publicly urged him to keep the devices in place at the flashpoint site. But Israeli media reports said security chiefs were divided over the issue amid concerns about wider Palestinian unrest in East Jerusalem and the West Bank."The prime minister is considering whether to change this decision, and that's his prerogative," Erdan said on Army Radio. He described the equipment as a legitimate security measure.On July 14, three Arab-Israeli gunmen shot dead two Israeli policemen outside the Temple Mount-Noble Sanctuary complex in one of the most serious attacks in the area for years. The assailants were killed by security forces.Israel briefly closed the compound, holy to Jews as the site of biblical temples, and installed the metal detectors which it said were commonplace at religious sites worldwide.-GAZA CONFRONTATION CALLED-In the West Bank on Thursday, a Palestinian tried to stab two Israeli soldiers and was shot dead, the army said. It was not immediately clear if the alleged attack was prompted by the tensions over the holy site.Ismail Haniyeh, leader of the Hamas Islamist movement that rules Gaza, called on Palestinian demonstrators to confront Israeli troops along the enclave's border on Friday."Let Friday be a turning point in the battle in the defense of Jerusalem and al-Aqsa," Haniyeh said in a televised speech.Nickolay Mladenov, the United Nations special coordinator for the long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, called for calm. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, after discussing the stand-off with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, spoke to Israeli President Reuven Rivlin by phone to urge an end to the metal-detector searches, sources in Erdogan's office said.Rivlin's office said he had defended the security measures and assured Erdogan that freedom of worship would be maintained.Israeli forces captured East Jerusalem, along with the West Bank, in the 1967 Middle East war. Palestinians want a state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip with East Jerusalem as its capital.Israel considers all of Jerusalem its capital, a claim that is not recognized internationally.(Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabin in Gaza and Tuvan Gumrukcu in Ankara; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
Germany puts arms deals with Turkey on hold after rights row-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-July 20, 2017
BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany is putting arms projects with Turkey on hold as tensions between the NATO allies escalate, mass-selling daily Bild reported, citing government sources.The move applied to planned arms projects as well as those already running, Bild reported. As a fellow NATO member, the supply of arms to Turkey has previously been largely unproblematic for Germany.The German government declined to comment on the report.Germany told its citizens on Thursday to exercise caution if traveling to Turkey and threatened measures that could hinder German investment there, in a sign of growing impatience with Ankara after the detention of rights activists.(Reporting by Andreas Rinke; Writing by Paul Carrel; Editing by Alison Williams)
Qatar crisis strains Saudi-led Arab alliance in Yemen war-[Reuters]-By Aziz El Yaakoubi-YAHOONEWS-July 20, 2017
DUBAI (Reuters) - A crisis between Qatar and four Arab countries is straining a Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen's government in a two-year war against Iranian-aligned Houthis and slowing the alliance's military advances.At the heart of the crisis is the accusation that Qatar supports the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist movement that coalition mainstays Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have designated a terrorist group.But Yemen's government is packed with supporters of the Islah party, an affiliate of the Muslim Brotherhood, threatening the unity of the alliance which has already been weakened by the withdrawal of Qatar's forces after the row erupted on June 5."The Gulf rift has cast a shadow on the government and could split it as ministers linked to Islah sympathize with Qatar," a senior official in the Yemeni government, who asked not to be named, told Reuters.The coalition is seeking to restore the internationally-recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and backs forces fighting Houthi rebels and troops loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh.Fighting near the Red Sea port city of al-Mokha, where a UAE-backed offensive was being prepared on the port of Hodeidah which handles most of Yemeni food imports, has slowed."The fighting has been frozen since the start of the dispute with Qatar, which reflects the extent of the UAE concerns over the strength of Islah in the province," a local official told Reuters. UAE officials did not respond to requests for comment.Saudi Arabia currently hosts the exiled Yemeni government which includes five cabinet ministers from the Islah party. The chief of staff also belongs to Islah and Vice President Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar is a close Islah ally.-TRIBESMEN, SOLDIERS CRITICAL-The party also has thousands of followers fighting against the Houthi forces who control the capital Sanaa with Saleh loyalists. Unusually in Yemen's fractured political landscape, Islah has supporters in the north and south of the country.Since the Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015, Islah has tried to distance itself from the Brotherhood, in deference to the government-in-exile's Saudi hosts. The coalition depends heavily on Islah fighters on the ground."Whatever Saudi Arabia's current view of the Muslim Brotherhood in other countries, in Yemen they are natural allies against the Houthi-Saleh alliance," April Longley Alley, a senior Arabian Peninsula analyst for the International Crisis Group (ICG) said."In many fighting fronts in the north, tribesmen or soldiers associated with Islah are a critical, if not the most important, part of the anti-Houthi fighting force."Saudi officials were not immediately available for comment.The Brotherhood has posed a big challenge to Arab rulers in the Middle East, where it has built a strong base opposed to the principle of dynastic rule.While Qatar has supported the movement, Gulf monarchies and emirates, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, have spent billions trying to prevent the Brotherhood holding power in the Arab world since 2011 uprisings swept the region.-UAE UNCOMFORTABLE-The UAE, a crucial member of the coalition and which is more hostile to the Brotherhood than other members, appears to have been the most uncomfortable about its military fighting alongside Brotherhood-linked Islah forces.The UAE has also built a southern army that remains under the influence of southern Yemeni politicians who are hostile to the Brotherhood's ideology and want to break with the north.On the frontlines in the south, the offensive against the Houthis and Saleh forces has slowed down because of the UAE position on Islah, local officials said. UAE officials were not available to comment.Fighting in the two strategic provinces of Taiz and Marib has halted for more than a month, except for occasional air strikes and naval shelling on the rebels.Cracks in the Yemeni government on the Qatar crisis were highlighted when the quarrel broke out with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates imposing travel and diplomatic sanctions on Qatar.Yemen's government rushed to express solidarity with Qatar on the state news agency website. Within two hours that message of support was wiped off. The next day the government cut ties with Doha, falling into line with Saudi and the others.(Reporting By Aziz El Yaakoubi; editing by Sami Aboudi)
Moroccan police fire tear gas to disperse protests in north-[Reuters]-By Samia Errazzouki-YAHOONEWS-July 20, 2017
AL-HOCEIMA, Morocco (Reuters) - Police fired tear gas and used truncheons to scatter hundreds of protesters in northern Morocco, a Reuters witness said on Thursday, part of the biggest wave of demonstrations in the kingdom since Arab Spring-inspired rallies in 2011.People have taken to the streets in the Rif region around the town of Al-Hoceima since October over injustice, corruption and underdevelopment, and on Thursday thousands gathered to try to join in rallies that local authorities had banned.Police charged small groups of protesters around the town and forced many into side streets where authorities had set up a heavy security presence with checkpoints to block people joining the protests, the Reuters witness said.Cars and taxis drove around honking in support of the rally."Every time we come out, they don't even let us protest peacefully," said Warda, 19, a local demonstrator. "Our demands are simple, we want universities, and hospitals."Political protests are rare in the North African kingdom. But tensions have been simmering in Al-Hoceima since October when a fishmonger died after being crushed inside a garbage truck while trying to save his fish confiscated by police.Authorities have arrested more than 100 leaders and members of the movement, called Hirak al Chaabi in Arabic, since the end of May, and protests have vented over broader frustrations about the region's lack of development and economic problems."Our main call in this protest is to demand the release of the prisoners and to realize the initial demands of the Hirak movement from October," said Mohammed Al-Faqih 35, who said he has three cousins arrested for their role in protest.The Hirak movement was born after the death of fishmonger Mouhcine Fikri in Al-Hoceima, which sits on Morocco's Mediterranean coast. Local police confiscated fish they said he had bought illegally and dumped it in a garbage truck. Trying to recover his stock, Fikri jumped inside and was crushed.His death has become a symbol of "hogra" - a colloquial Arabic term for the deprivation of dignity due to the abuse of power and injustice. But in a country where the palace remains the ultimate power, the demonstrators have directed their anger at the government rather than the monarch himself.(Reporting by Samia Errazzouki; writing by Patrick Markey; editing by Mark Heinrich)
Easing of Chile abortion ban hits roadbump-[AFP]-YAHOONEWS-July 20, 2017
Santiago (AFP) - A plan to ease Chile's total ban on abortion hit a legislative roadblock Thursday when a deputy abstained from a vote, kicking the bill to a cross-party committee for review.The setback was a blow to Presdent Michelle Bachelet's government, which for the past two years had shepherded the legislation through the National Congress. It won tough Senate approval on Wednesday before heading back to the Chamber of Deputies for the final vote.Until now, the South American country has been part of a small group of socially conservative nations that barred abortion under all circumstances -- including the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Gabon, Haiti, Malta, Nicaragua, the Philippines and Senegal.The new legislation aims to allow abortion in cases of rape, if the mother's life is at risk, or if the fetus presents a deadly birth defect."This is lamentable," said lawmaker Karol Cariola, after a member of the ruling coalition's Christian Democratic Party, Marcelo Chavez, abstained from voting, causing the lower house to fall short of a quorum even though the law would have passed 60 to 40.Polls show that 70 percent of Chileans support legalized abortion under the three conditions introduced in the senate.But the conservative opposition has vowed to challenge the law if it is upheld by Chile's Constitutional Court.Chile had permitted abortion for more than 50 years -- only if the mother's life was in danger or if the fetus was not viable -- until it was strictly outlawed in 1989 during the final days of the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship.Under current law, abortion is punishable by up to five years in prison.About 30,000 provoked or spontaneous abortions are recorded each year in the country, though it is estimated that clandestine abortions could number around 160,000, according to a pro-abortion group.The Socialist president had pledged to see the easing of the ban enacted before she leaves office in March 2018.Conservative groups have historically had great influence in Chile, though they have lost ground in recent years. Chileans had to wait until 2004 to be able to divorce, and until just two years ago to enter into same-sex civil unions.
