KING JESUS IS COMING FOR US ANY TIME NOW. THE RAPTURE. BE PREPARED TO GO.
DOCTOR DOCTORIAN FROM ANGEL OF GOD
then the angel said, Financial crisis will come to Asia. I will shake the world.
JAMES 5:1-3
1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
REVELATION 18:10,17,19
10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
EZEKIEL 7:19
19 They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed: their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels: because it is the stumblingblock of their iniquity.
REVELATION 13:16-18
16 And he(THE FALSE POPE WHO DEFECTED FROM THE CHRISTIAN FAITH) causeth all,(IN THE WORLD ) both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:(MICROCHIP IMPLANT)
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark,(MICROCHIP IMPLANT) or the name of the beast,(WORLD DICTATORS NAME INGRAVED ON YOUR SKIN OR TATTOOED ON YOU OR IN THE MICROCHIP IMPLANT) or the number of his name.(THE NUMBERS OF HIS NAME INGRAVED IN THE MICROCHIP IMLPLANT)-(ALL THESE WILL TELL THE WORLD DICTATOR THAT YOUR WITH HIM AND AGAINST KING JESUS-GOD)
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast:(WORLD LEADER) for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.(6-6-6) A NUMBER SYSTEM (6006006)OR(60020202006)(SOME KIND OF NUMBER IMPLANTED IN THE MICROCHIP THAT TELLS THE WORLD DICTATOR AND THE NEW WORLD ORDER THAT YOU GIVE YOUR TOTAL ALLIGIENCE TO HIM AND NOT JESUS)(ITS AN ETERNAL DECISION YOU MAKE)(YOU CHOOSE YOUR OWN DESTINY)(YOU TAKE THE DICTATORS NAME OR NUMBER UNDER YOUR SKIN,YOUR DOOMED TO THE LAKE OF FIRE AND TORMENTS FOREVER,NEVER ENDING MEANT ONLY FOR SATAN AND HIS ANGELS,NOT HUMAN BEINGS).OR YOU REFUSE THE MICROCHIP IMPLANT AND GO ON THE SIDE OF KING JESUS AND RULE FOREVER WITH HIM ON EARTH.YOU CHOOSE,ITS YOUR DECISION.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYUgVL9PdxM&list=UU4SH8rh0OjYV3zwqnIfqNbA&index=1&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PX-vW4VccY&feature=player_embedded#!
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/markets/indexes/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfPX59y4KxE&feature=related
HALF HOUR DOW RESULTS FRI FEBRUARY 22,2013
09:30 AM +2.43
10:00 AM +38.13
10:30 AM +40.37
11:00 AM +57.99
11:30 AM +53.93
12:00 PM +61.16
12:30 PM +70.65
01:00 PM +107.81
01:30 PM +97.67
02:00 PM +102.70
02:30 PM +89.89
03:00 PM +94.57
03:30 PM +92.76
04:00 PM +119.95 14,000.57
S&P 500 1515.60 +13.18
NASDAQ 3161.82 +30.33
GOLD 1,574.10 -4.80
OIL 93.44 +0.30
TSE 300 12,701.63 +61.66
CDNX 1144.68 +10.71
S&P/TSX/60 730.19 +3.25
MORNING,NEWS,STATS
YEAR TO DATE PERFORMANCE
Dow +72 points at 4 minutes of trading today.
Dow +1 points at low today.
Dow +77 points at high today so far.
GOLD opens at $1,573.20.OIL opens at $92.51 today.
AFTERNOON,NEWS,STATS
Dow +1 points at low today so far.
Dow +119 points at high today so far.
WRAPUP,NEWS,STATS
Dow +1 points at low today.
Dow +119 points at high today.
GOLD ALLTIME HIGH $1,902.60 (NOT AT CLOSE)
STORMS HURRICANES-TORNADOES
LUKE 21:25-26
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.(FROM QUAKES,NUKES ETC)
THE FIRST JUDGEMENT OF THE EARTH STARTED WITH WATER-IT ONLY MAKES SENSE THE LAST GENERATION WILL BE HAVING FLOODING
GENESIS 7:6-12
6 And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.
7 And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.
8 Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth,
9 There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.
10 And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.
11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
12 And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
GOD PROMISED BY A RAINBOW-THE EARTH WOULD NEVER BE DESTROYED TOTALLY WITH A FLOOD AGAIN.BUT FLOODIING IS A SIGN OF JUDGEMENT.
The good news is that snow is precipitation, which the plains states desperately need. The region's been struggling with droughts for what seems like years now — global warming, ahem — and several inches of snow melt amounts to some much appreciated respite. "We can get excited about it," one farmer told The New York Times. "But we're going to have to have more moisture, however it comes."
ISAIAH 17:1,12-14
1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
12 Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations,(USELESS U.N) that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters!
13 The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.
14 And behold at eveningtide trouble; and before the morning he is not.(ASSAD) This is the portion of them that spoil us,(ISRAEL) and the lot of them that rob us.
JEREMEIAH 49:23-27
23 Concerning Damascus.(SYRIA) Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the sea;(WAR SHIPS WITH NUKES COMING ON SYRIA) it cannot be quiet.
24 Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail.
25 How is the city of praise not left, the city of my joy!
26 Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD of hosts.
27 And I will kindle a fire (NUKES OR BOMBS) in the wall of Damascus, and it shall consume the palaces of Benhadad.(ASSADS PALACES POSSIBLY IN DAMASCUS)
PSALMS 83:3-7
3 They (ARABS,MUSLIMS) have taken crafty counsel against thy people,(ISRAEL) and consulted against thy hidden ones.
4 They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
5 For they (MUSLIMS) have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:(TREATIES)
6 The tabernacles of Edom,(JORDAN) and the Ishmaelites;(ARABS) of Moab, PALESTINIANS,JORDAN) and the Hagarenes;(EGYPT)
7 Gebal,(HEZZBALLOH,LEBANON) and Ammon,(JORDAN) and Amalek;(SYRIA,ARABS,SINAI) the Philistines (PALESTINIANS) with the inhabitants of Tyre;(LEBANON)
JEREMIAH 47:1-7
1 The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Philistines,(PALESTINIAN/ARABS) before that Pharaoh smote Gaza.
2 Thus saith the LORD; Behold, waters rise up out of the north,(NORTHERN TSUNAMI POSSIBLY) and shall be an overflowing flood, and shall overflow the land, and all that is therein; the city, and them that dwell therein: then the men shall cry, and all the inhabitants of the land shall howl.
3 At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong horses,(ISRAELS ARMY) at the rushing of his chariots, and at the rumbling of his wheels, the fathers shall not look back to their children for feebleness of hands;(ISRAEL POSSIBLY NUKES GAZA)
4 Because of the day that cometh to spoil all the Philistines,(PALESTINIAN FAKE ARABS) and to cut off from Tyrus and Zidon every helper that remaineth: for the LORD will spoil the Philistines, the remnant of the country of Caphtor.
5 Baldness is come upon Gaza;(NUKED POSSIBLY) Ashkelon is cut off with the remnant of their valley: how long wilt thou cut thyself?
6 O thou sword of the LORD, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? put up thyself into thy scabbard, rest, and be still.
7 How can it be quiet, seeing the LORD hath given it a charge against Ashkelon, and against the sea shore? (MEDITTERANEAN SEA) there hath he appointed it.
DANIEL 11:40-43
40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south ( EGYPT) push at him:(EU DICTATOR IN ISRAEL) and the king of the north (RUSSIA AND MUSLIM HORDES OF EZEK 38+39) shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.
41 He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.(JORDAN)
42 He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.
43 But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.
JOEL 2:3,20,30-31
3 A fire(NUCLEAR ATOMIC BOMB) devoureth before them;(RUSSIA-ARABS-MUSLIMS) and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them,(BEFORE THE NUKE GOES OFF) and behind them a desolate wilderness;(AFTER THE ATOMIC BOMB GOES OFF) yea, and nothing shall escape them.(EVERYTHING NUKED)
20 But I will remove far off from you the northern army,(RUSSIA,ARAB,MUSLIMS) and will drive him into a land barren and desolate,(SIBERIAN DESERT) with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.(FOR COMING AGAINST ISRAEL)
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.(NUCLEAR BOMB)
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
Shabbat Zachor: The Sabbath Closest to Purim is Tonight FEB 22,13-INN
The Sabbath closest to the Purim holiday is called Shabbat Zachor
because of the maftir (Torah reading that follows the portion of the
week, usually a repetition of the last part of the reading) which is a
special one that is not part of the regular Torah portion.Zachor means "remember!" The Torah commands the Jews to remember how the tribe of Amalek attacked them from the rear whle they were in the desert,
weak and just freed from slavery. Amalek attacked the sick and elderly
who travelled more slowly than the rest. A battle led by Joshua defeated
them, with the help of G-d - in fact, the Bible says that when Moses
lifted up his hands to the heavens, the tide turned in favor of the
Israelite warriors and they defeated the Amalekites.
G-d told the Jews never to forget this cowardly treachery and to make sure to destroy the people of Amalek in every generation. This was not accomplished, for various reasons, and Haman the Aggagite was a descendant of Agag, king of Amalek in King Saul's reign. This is why the portion is read close to Purim.
It is a Torah commandment to attend the synagogue and hear the reading of this portion. It is read while the congregation rises and is often read several times, in the varied accents of the congregants, so that every word will be clearly understood. Many congrefations have a second reading for mothers who cannot leave their young children and await the father's return from prayer to be able to hear Parshat Zachor.
By Maayana Miskin First Publish: 2/22/2013, 8:52 AM-Israelnationalnews
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is eager to end tensions between his Likud Beytenu party and the Bayit Yehudi (Jewish Home) faction, Yisrael Hayom reports.Netanyahu reportedly told his negotiating team to “do whatever is necessary” to bring the Jewish Home into the coalition.Likud was reportedly upset by the Jewish Home party’s agreement with Yesh Atid early in the coalition talks process, while the Jewish Home was insulted by a Likud coalition offer that avoided mention of basic issues such as the budget and included an ultimatum. Many in the party were also concerned by Likud’s recent agreement with Hatnua.Likud sources have reportedly expressed hope that they can turn a new page, and start serious talks with the Jewish Home that include discussions of the new government’s guiding principles.Jewish Home head Naftali Bennett met Thursday with Yair Lapid of Yesh Atid and Shaul Mofaz of Kadima in his home
in Raanana. The three discussed their views on one of the major issues
facing the next government: the subject of hareidi-religious army
service.According to one analysis, Bennett is likely to ask for the Finance Ministry, while Lapid will ask for the Foreign Ministry and Mofaz will seek the Defense Ministry.A poll conducted by the Panels Institute for the Knesset Channel
found that if elections were held again in the near future both Bayit
Yehudi and Yesh Atid would benefit. Yesh Atid would come out the winner with 30 seats to 22 for Likud Beytenu, while Bayit Yehudi would grow from 12 seats to 15.
G-d told the Jews never to forget this cowardly treachery and to make sure to destroy the people of Amalek in every generation. This was not accomplished, for various reasons, and Haman the Aggagite was a descendant of Agag, king of Amalek in King Saul's reign. This is why the portion is read close to Purim.
It is a Torah commandment to attend the synagogue and hear the reading of this portion. It is read while the congregation rises and is often read several times, in the varied accents of the congregants, so that every word will be clearly understood. Many congrefations have a second reading for mothers who cannot leave their young children and await the father's return from prayer to be able to hear Parshat Zachor.
Bibi: ‘Do Whatever is Necessary’ to Bring Bayit Yehudi
Netanyahu has reportedly told his staff to do ‘whatever is necessary’ to get the Bayit Yehudi party to join his coalition.
Naftali Bennett of Jewish Home-Flash90
Spanish monarchy's popularity hits new low
By | Associated Press – 2 hrs 57 mins ago FEB 22,13
MADRID (AP) — When King Juan Carlos
appeared at a recent basketball game in front of thousands of subjects,
he was greeted by persistent heckling and whistling. It was an
unprecedented spectacle in a nearly four-decade reign over which the
monarch has basked in the nation's love and respect.What happened? The immediate cause is a corruption scandal engulfing Juan Carlos' son-in-law, Inaki Urdangarin,
which has angered Spaniards in a time of crushing austerity. But the
aging Juan Carlos himself has seemed increasingly out of touch with his
people as they try to keep afloat in Europe's economic storm.Urdangarin, married to the 75-year-old king's second daughter, Princess Cristina,
is accused of using his position to embezzle several million dollars in
public contracts assigned to a nonprofit foundation he set up.The 45-year-old businessman, who denies any wrongdoing, faces
questioning along with his wife's personal secretary. He gives
closed-door testimony on Saturday before an investigating magistrate.Juan Carlos, whose health has been declining along with his
reputation, and the Spanish monarchy are facing one of their biggest
crises ever."There is no deep-seated admiration for the monarchy as an institution as you'll find in the U.K. or in Holland," said Tom Burns Maranon,
who has written several books about Juan Carlos. "The whole thing is
almost a personal loyalty to the king. If the king's standing and
reputation comes shooting down, then you're in a very sticky position."The charismatic Juan Carlos, who took the throne in 1975 two days
after the death of dictator Gen. Francisco Franco, is widely credited
with helping the country usher in democracy — and with saving it by
staring down a military coup in 1981.Yet the stories of greed emerging from the Urdangarin case have
deepened the sense that the royals are living large at the expense of a
suffering nation. Juan Carlos was vilified last year after going on a
luxurious African safari to hunt elephants while his subjects were being
battered by economic woes and sky-high unemployment.There is no major movement in Spain
to eliminate the monarchy and restore a republican form of government.
So far, only the leader of the regional Catalan Socialist Party has
called openly for Juan Carlos to abdicate and allow his son, Crown
Prince Felipe, to take the throne and bring the monarchy more in line
with the 21st century.A palace official said Friday that Juan Carlos has no plans to
abdicate and that no plan exists to fast track the succession of Felipe.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of palace rules
forbidding the official's identification.But the sense of the king's popularity propping up the monarchy — a
phenomenon known as "juancarlismo" — appears to be fading. A January
poll showed about half of Spaniards approved of the king, an impressive
rating — but sharply down from the three-quarters support he enjoyed a
year before.The king's health, meanwhile, has been a subject for concern over the
past two years. He has had operations on both hips, a knee and for a
benign lung tumor. On March 3, he will undergo back surgery, the royal
palace said Thursday.When Dutch Queen Beatrix, also 75, announced in January that she
would abdicate and pass the crown to her eldest son, some wanted the
same thing to happen in Spain.But experts say the monarchies in
the two countries are completely different. The Netherlands has a
history of abdications for reasons of age, while in Spain it has been extremely rare.Urdangarin is a former professional and Olympic handball medalist and
the deals he landed were for things such as organizing seminars on
using sports as a lure for tourism. Once presented to his countrymen as
the perfect husband, Urdangarin has now become one of Spain's most
detested figures.
A year after he first gave testimony, Urdangarin will return to a tribunal in Palma de Mallorca to answer more questions from investigating magistrate Jose Castro. Urdangarin hasn't been formally charged, but all indications point to a long and drawn-out trial that will keep suspicions of royal extravagance swirling.
The royal family has responded by barring him from official functions and pulling his profile from the monarchy's website. When both Urdangarin and his brother-in-law Prince Felipe attended the final of the world handball championship, which Spain hosted and won, they didn't even look at each other."He's been ostracized and separated from the royal family," said Burns Maranon. He said it will be a blow for the royal family if he's jailed but "even worse if he got off scot-free."Meanwhile, the case is getting closer and closer to Princess Cristina, with her personal secretary, Carlos Garcia Revenga, set to make statements before the magistrate on Saturday.Garcia Revenga hasn't been formally accused. The royal family has used this as an argument to keep him in his post as it waits for justice to take its course. But the question that arises is whether or not Princess Cristina knew about her husband's alleged activities."I don't see why Princess Cristina would be accused of anything," said Urdangarin's lawyer, Pascual Vives. "Her situation is radically different from those facing accusations."Ironically, Urdangarin and his wife have the title of the Duke and Duchess of Palma, the same city investigating the case. Responding to popular revulsion, city hall said it removed the street name "Duques de Palma" — one of the municipality's most central thoroughfares — because of the "less-than-exemplary behavior toward the title."It's only a symbol, but it reflects the loss of reputation the monarchy is suffering at an especially difficult time for Spaniards.___Associated Press writer Harold Heckle contributed to this report.
A year after he first gave testimony, Urdangarin will return to a tribunal in Palma de Mallorca to answer more questions from investigating magistrate Jose Castro. Urdangarin hasn't been formally charged, but all indications point to a long and drawn-out trial that will keep suspicions of royal extravagance swirling.
The royal family has responded by barring him from official functions and pulling his profile from the monarchy's website. When both Urdangarin and his brother-in-law Prince Felipe attended the final of the world handball championship, which Spain hosted and won, they didn't even look at each other."He's been ostracized and separated from the royal family," said Burns Maranon. He said it will be a blow for the royal family if he's jailed but "even worse if he got off scot-free."Meanwhile, the case is getting closer and closer to Princess Cristina, with her personal secretary, Carlos Garcia Revenga, set to make statements before the magistrate on Saturday.Garcia Revenga hasn't been formally accused. The royal family has used this as an argument to keep him in his post as it waits for justice to take its course. But the question that arises is whether or not Princess Cristina knew about her husband's alleged activities."I don't see why Princess Cristina would be accused of anything," said Urdangarin's lawyer, Pascual Vives. "Her situation is radically different from those facing accusations."Ironically, Urdangarin and his wife have the title of the Duke and Duchess of Palma, the same city investigating the case. Responding to popular revulsion, city hall said it removed the street name "Duques de Palma" — one of the municipality's most central thoroughfares — because of the "less-than-exemplary behavior toward the title."It's only a symbol, but it reflects the loss of reputation the monarchy is suffering at an especially difficult time for Spaniards.___Associated Press writer Harold Heckle contributed to this report.
DOCTOR DOCTORIAN FROM ANGEL OF GOD
then the angel said, Financial crisis will come to Asia. I will shake the world.
JAMES 5:1-3
1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
REVELATION 18:10,17,19
10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
EZEKIEL 7:19
19 They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed: their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels: because it is the stumblingblock of their iniquity.
REVELATION 13:16-18
16 And he(THE FALSE POPE WHO DEFECTED FROM THE CHRISTIAN FAITH) causeth all,(IN THE WORLD ) both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:(MICROCHIP IMPLANT)
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark,(MICROCHIP IMPLANT) or the name of the beast,(WORLD DICTATORS NAME INGRAVED ON YOUR SKIN OR TATTOOED ON YOU OR IN THE MICROCHIP IMPLANT) or the number of his name.(THE NUMBERS OF HIS NAME INGRAVED IN THE MICROCHIP IMLPLANT)-(ALL THESE WILL TELL THE WORLD DICTATOR THAT YOUR WITH HIM AND AGAINST KING JESUS-GOD)
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast:(WORLD LEADER) for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.(6-6-6) A NUMBER SYSTEM (6006006)OR(60020202006)(SOME KIND OF NUMBER IMPLANTED IN THE MICROCHIP THAT TELLS THE WORLD DICTATOR AND THE NEW WORLD ORDER THAT YOU GIVE YOUR TOTAL ALLIGIENCE TO HIM AND NOT JESUS)(ITS AN ETERNAL DECISION YOU MAKE)(YOU CHOOSE YOUR OWN DESTINY)(YOU TAKE THE DICTATORS NAME OR NUMBER UNDER YOUR SKIN,YOUR DOOMED TO THE LAKE OF FIRE AND TORMENTS FOREVER,NEVER ENDING MEANT ONLY FOR SATAN AND HIS ANGELS,NOT HUMAN BEINGS).OR YOU REFUSE THE MICROCHIP IMPLANT AND GO ON THE SIDE OF KING JESUS AND RULE FOREVER WITH HIM ON EARTH.YOU CHOOSE,ITS YOUR DECISION.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYUgVL9PdxM&list=UU4SH8rh0OjYV3zwqnIfqNbA&index=1&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PX-vW4VccY&feature=player_embedded#!
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/markets/indexes/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfPX59y4KxE&feature=related
HALF HOUR DOW RESULTS FRI FEBRUARY 22,2013
09:30 AM +2.43
10:00 AM +38.13
10:30 AM +40.37
11:00 AM +57.99
11:30 AM +53.93
12:00 PM +61.16
12:30 PM +70.65
01:00 PM +107.81
01:30 PM +97.67
02:00 PM +102.70
02:30 PM +89.89
03:00 PM +94.57
03:30 PM +92.76
04:00 PM +119.95 14,000.57
S&P 500 1515.60 +13.18
NASDAQ 3161.82 +30.33
GOLD 1,574.10 -4.80
OIL 93.44 +0.30
TSE 300 12,701.63 +61.66
CDNX 1144.68 +10.71
S&P/TSX/60 730.19 +3.25
MORNING,NEWS,STATS
YEAR TO DATE PERFORMANCE
Dow +72 points at 4 minutes of trading today.
Dow +1 points at low today.
Dow +77 points at high today so far.
GOLD opens at $1,573.20.OIL opens at $92.51 today.
AFTERNOON,NEWS,STATS
Dow +1 points at low today so far.
Dow +119 points at high today so far.
WRAPUP,NEWS,STATS
Dow +1 points at low today.
Dow +119 points at high today.
GOLD ALLTIME HIGH $1,902.60 (NOT AT CLOSE)
ECB turns €1bn profit despite rising HQ costs
Today @ 09:57 FEB 22,13 By Benjamin Fox
BRUSSELS - The European Central Bank
(ECB) recorded a profit of almost €1 billion in 2012, according to the
Frankfurt-based institution's annual accounts, released on Thursday (21
February).
Its year-on-year profits soared by 37 percent to €998 million, with the bulk of the money coming from interest totalling €555 million on Greek government bonds.Most of the ECB's income comes from interest on its foreign currency holdings and bond holdings, as well as on euro banknotes in circulation. It raked in just under €2.3 billion in interest in 2012.Elsewhere, the bank revealed that it holds €218 billion worth of government bonds under the Securities Markets Program (SMP), launched in 2010 to bring down the cost of debt refinancing for the eurozone's crisis-hit countries.The SMP, which earned €1.1 billion in interest for the ECB, was replaced in September 2012 by the Outright Monetary Transactions (OMT) scheme, an unlimited bond-buying program set up after ECB chief Mario Draghi promised to "do what it takes" to prop up the EU's single currency.Nearly half of the ECB's €218 billion bond portfolio is composed of Italian debt, with a nominal value of €102.8 billion.Spanish and Greek securities accounted for €44.3 billion and €33.9 billion, respectively, with the bonds having an average remaining maturity of 4.3 years.The ECB stated that €575 million of the 2012 profit was shared across national central banks in January, with the remaining funds to be distributed on 25 February.Meanwhile, all profits resulting from Greek bonds will eventually be re-directed back to Athens as part of the country's November bail-out deal agreed with eurozone finance ministers.However, the ECB posted a €339 million hike in costs under its "assets under construction" heading, covering the costs of the bank's new headquarters.The bank's new 45-floor building on the old site of the Grossmarkthalle, a 1920s listed-building that served as Frankfurt's wholesale food market, will eventually cost more than €1 billion - an overspend of more than €200 million since the tender was put out in 2008. The soaring costs of the building sit awkwardly at a time when the ECB has led the way in setting tough austerity policies for struggling eurozone countries.The two-tower structure, which will house all of the bank's 2,600 staff from January 2014, will replace its rented Eurotower premises.
Its year-on-year profits soared by 37 percent to €998 million, with the bulk of the money coming from interest totalling €555 million on Greek government bonds.Most of the ECB's income comes from interest on its foreign currency holdings and bond holdings, as well as on euro banknotes in circulation. It raked in just under €2.3 billion in interest in 2012.Elsewhere, the bank revealed that it holds €218 billion worth of government bonds under the Securities Markets Program (SMP), launched in 2010 to bring down the cost of debt refinancing for the eurozone's crisis-hit countries.The SMP, which earned €1.1 billion in interest for the ECB, was replaced in September 2012 by the Outright Monetary Transactions (OMT) scheme, an unlimited bond-buying program set up after ECB chief Mario Draghi promised to "do what it takes" to prop up the EU's single currency.Nearly half of the ECB's €218 billion bond portfolio is composed of Italian debt, with a nominal value of €102.8 billion.Spanish and Greek securities accounted for €44.3 billion and €33.9 billion, respectively, with the bonds having an average remaining maturity of 4.3 years.The ECB stated that €575 million of the 2012 profit was shared across national central banks in January, with the remaining funds to be distributed on 25 February.Meanwhile, all profits resulting from Greek bonds will eventually be re-directed back to Athens as part of the country's November bail-out deal agreed with eurozone finance ministers.However, the ECB posted a €339 million hike in costs under its "assets under construction" heading, covering the costs of the bank's new headquarters.The bank's new 45-floor building on the old site of the Grossmarkthalle, a 1920s listed-building that served as Frankfurt's wholesale food market, will eventually cost more than €1 billion - an overspend of more than €200 million since the tender was put out in 2008. The soaring costs of the building sit awkwardly at a time when the ECB has led the way in setting tough austerity policies for struggling eurozone countries.The two-tower structure, which will house all of the bank's 2,600 staff from January 2014, will replace its rented Eurotower premises.
Eurozone recession to continue in 2013
Today @ 17:09 FEB 22,13
By Benjamin Fox
BRUSSELS - The eurozone economy will
shrink by a further 0.3 percent in 2013, the European Commission said
Friday (22 February), revising down a more optimistic previous estimate
that had predicted 0.1 percent growth for this year.The data also indicates that average government debt rose by 5
percent in 2012 to 93.1 percent as a proportion of GDP. The average debt
level is expected to peak at 95.2 percent in 2014, well above the 60
percent threshold set out in the bloc's Stability and Growth Pact.News on government budgetary positions was more positive. The average
deficit in the eurozone had fallen by 1.5 percent to 3.5 percent, with
the commission expecting a further 0.75 percent improvement to bring the
eurozone average under the 3 percent threshold.Announcing the figures, Economic Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn
admitted that "the hard data is still very disappointing" adding that
the progress made by national governments to cut budget deficits was
"not yet feeding into the real economy."But he added there was no alternative to austerity programmes to
balance budgets which he said was "paving the way for a return to
recovery.""We must stay the course of reform and avoid any loss of momentum,
which could undermine the turnaround in confidence that is underway," he
said.However, he indicated that the Commission was prepared to push back
deadlines on deficit reduction provided that "the recommended structural
deficit adjustment has been delivered."Meanwhile, unemployment is set to rise to 12.2 percent by the end of 2013, before falling by 0.5 percent in 2014.The projections will come as a serious blow to the EU, which has
adopted economic governance legislation forcing national governments
into deep public spending cuts and tax rises as part of tough fiscal
consolidation programmes.Despite the continued recession, financial market pressure on the
eurozone has eased in recent months. Sovereign bond spreads for the
eurozone's crisis countries have been gradually falling since autumn
2012, since the ECB's decision to buy unlimited amount of bonds held by
eurozone countries. The euro has gained around 10 percent in the
currency markets.The picture is bleakest in Spain, Greece, Cyprus and Portugal, all of
which remain in a spiral of recession, high budget deficits and rising
unemployment.Spain's budget deficit peaked at 10.2 percent in 2012, and will only
shrink to 6.7 percent in 2013. For its part, the Greek economy will fall
by 4.4 per cent - its sixth successive year of a recession that has
seen output fall by over 25 percent.The commission 2013 forecasts offer the most pessimistic view yet of
the European economy. The IMF expects the eurozone economy to shrink by
0.2 per cent while the latest ECB forecasts peg growth between 0.3 per
cent and 0.9 percent.
STORMS HURRICANES-TORNADOES
LUKE 21:25-26
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.(FROM QUAKES,NUKES ETC)
THE FIRST JUDGEMENT OF THE EARTH STARTED WITH WATER-IT ONLY MAKES SENSE THE LAST GENERATION WILL BE HAVING FLOODING
GENESIS 7:6-12
6 And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.
7 And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.
8 Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth,
9 There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.
10 And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.
11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
12 And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
GOD PROMISED BY A RAINBOW-THE EARTH WOULD NEVER BE DESTROYED TOTALLY WITH A FLOOD AGAIN.BUT FLOODIING IS A SIGN OF JUDGEMENT.
Major snowstorm blankets Midwest, heads toward New England
By Kevin Murphy | Reuters – 2 hrs 36 mins ago FEB 22,13
KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - A major winter storm
headed northeast into the U.S. Great Lakes on Friday and threatened New
England after blanketing states from Minnesota to Ohio with blinding
snow, sleet and freezing rain.The storm dumped more than a foot of snow in Kansas on
Thursday, forcing airports to cancel hundreds of flights and stranding
motorists on highways.Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Sly James said that about 60
buses were stuck on snowbound streets on Thursday, and even tow trucks
were left immobile by the storm."It's still an ongoing process to get people off the roads," he told CNN.About 570 flights were canceled on Friday, with 127 of them at
Chicago's O'Hare airport. Kansas City International Airport reopened
after being closed on Thursday while crews cleared runways.The National Weather Service said the storm would move northeast into the upper Great Lakes over the next several days.Sleet and freezing rain was possible in the Appalachians and
mid-Atlantic states, with thunderstorms expected on the storm's southern
fringe in the southeastern United States, it said.The storm is expected to reach the East Coast this weekend,
delivering heavy snow to parts of New England for a third straight
weekend, from northern Connecticut to southern Maine.
SNOWY KANSAS
Kansas bore the brunt of the bad weather on Thursday, with up to 15 inches of snow in some parts of the state, according to the National Weather Service.A 200-mile (323-km) stretch of Interstate 70 in central Kansas was closed and strewn with cars stuck in snow.National Guard troops riding in Humvees were dispatched to look for stranded motorists along the interstate and other highways, said Sharon Watson, a spokeswoman for Kansas emergency management services.The fierce storm triggered severe thunderstorms from eastern Texas to Georgia.Missouri Governor Jay Nixon and Kansas Governor Sam Brownback declared states of emergency because of hazardous travel and possible power outages. Brownback ordered state offices closed because of the storm.In Nebraska, a 19-year-old woman was killed in a two-car accident on Wednesday on Interstate 80 near Giltner. The Nebraska State Patrol said weather was a factor.
An 18-year-old man died in Oklahoma when his vehicle slid into a tractor-trailer on a slushy state highway, the state's highway patrol said.Drought-stricken farmers in the Great Plains, one of the world's largest wheat-growing areas, welcomed the moisture brought by the storm, although experts said more rain or snow would be needed to ensure healthy crops.(Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)
SNOWY KANSAS
Kansas bore the brunt of the bad weather on Thursday, with up to 15 inches of snow in some parts of the state, according to the National Weather Service.A 200-mile (323-km) stretch of Interstate 70 in central Kansas was closed and strewn with cars stuck in snow.National Guard troops riding in Humvees were dispatched to look for stranded motorists along the interstate and other highways, said Sharon Watson, a spokeswoman for Kansas emergency management services.The fierce storm triggered severe thunderstorms from eastern Texas to Georgia.Missouri Governor Jay Nixon and Kansas Governor Sam Brownback declared states of emergency because of hazardous travel and possible power outages. Brownback ordered state offices closed because of the storm.In Nebraska, a 19-year-old woman was killed in a two-car accident on Wednesday on Interstate 80 near Giltner. The Nebraska State Patrol said weather was a factor.
An 18-year-old man died in Oklahoma when his vehicle slid into a tractor-trailer on a slushy state highway, the state's highway patrol said.Drought-stricken farmers in the Great Plains, one of the world's largest wheat-growing areas, welcomed the moisture brought by the storm, although experts said more rain or snow would be needed to ensure healthy crops.(Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)
The Midwest Is One Big Snowy Wreck Right Now
By Adam Clark Estes | The Atlantic Wire – 11 hrs ago FEB 22,13
It's snow season in America, and although the East Coast has been hogging all the weather-attention this year, the Midwest put Blizzard Nemo to shame on Thursday. It's not so much that the storm system moving through the central United States dumped more snow on the ground. This week's storm simply dumped snow on more ground, affecting 20 states over the course of an hour. CNN put the scope of the storm in startling terms, "About 60 million people -- 20% of the U.S. population -- were under winter weather warnings,
watches and advisories in the 750,000 square miles affected." And yes,
there was thundersnow. It even snowed in the middle of the Arizona
desert.
The real challenge of this week's Midwest wallop is that many of the states affected, like Missouri and Kansas, aren't accustomed to getting big snow storms. A month ago it was in the 70s in Kansas City.
Nowhere was hit harder than the highways, where the snow accumulated so
quickly that the cars couldn't get to safety quick enough. This left
cars sliding into snow drifts and trucks jackknifed and helpless on the highway.
Kansas actually closed a 240-mile stretch of the Interstate and
dispatched two dozen National Guard soldiers to search for travelers
stranded in the mayhem. "If you don't have to travel, don't do it," said
the state's governor, Sam Brownback.
He reiterated, "If you don't have to get out, just really, please,
don't do it." Nevertheless at least two deaths attributed to storm has
been reported, both from car accidents.
The good news is that snow is precipitation, which the plains states desperately need. The region's been struggling with droughts for what seems like years now — global warming, ahem — and several inches of snow melt amounts to some much appreciated respite. "We can get excited about it," one farmer told The New York Times. "But we're going to have to have more moisture, however it comes."
ISAIAH 17:1,12-14
1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
12 Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations,(USELESS U.N) that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters!
13 The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.
14 And behold at eveningtide trouble; and before the morning he is not.(ASSAD) This is the portion of them that spoil us,(ISRAEL) and the lot of them that rob us.
JEREMEIAH 49:23-27
23 Concerning Damascus.(SYRIA) Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the sea;(WAR SHIPS WITH NUKES COMING ON SYRIA) it cannot be quiet.
24 Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail.
25 How is the city of praise not left, the city of my joy!
26 Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD of hosts.
27 And I will kindle a fire (NUKES OR BOMBS) in the wall of Damascus, and it shall consume the palaces of Benhadad.(ASSADS PALACES POSSIBLY IN DAMASCUS)
PSALMS 83:3-7
3 They (ARABS,MUSLIMS) have taken crafty counsel against thy people,(ISRAEL) and consulted against thy hidden ones.
4 They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
5 For they (MUSLIMS) have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:(TREATIES)
6 The tabernacles of Edom,(JORDAN) and the Ishmaelites;(ARABS) of Moab, PALESTINIANS,JORDAN) and the Hagarenes;(EGYPT)
7 Gebal,(HEZZBALLOH,LEBANON) and Ammon,(JORDAN) and Amalek;(SYRIA,ARABS,SINAI) the Philistines (PALESTINIANS) with the inhabitants of Tyre;(LEBANON)
JEREMIAH 47:1-7
1 The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Philistines,(PALESTINIAN/ARABS) before that Pharaoh smote Gaza.
2 Thus saith the LORD; Behold, waters rise up out of the north,(NORTHERN TSUNAMI POSSIBLY) and shall be an overflowing flood, and shall overflow the land, and all that is therein; the city, and them that dwell therein: then the men shall cry, and all the inhabitants of the land shall howl.
3 At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong horses,(ISRAELS ARMY) at the rushing of his chariots, and at the rumbling of his wheels, the fathers shall not look back to their children for feebleness of hands;(ISRAEL POSSIBLY NUKES GAZA)
4 Because of the day that cometh to spoil all the Philistines,(PALESTINIAN FAKE ARABS) and to cut off from Tyrus and Zidon every helper that remaineth: for the LORD will spoil the Philistines, the remnant of the country of Caphtor.
5 Baldness is come upon Gaza;(NUKED POSSIBLY) Ashkelon is cut off with the remnant of their valley: how long wilt thou cut thyself?
6 O thou sword of the LORD, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? put up thyself into thy scabbard, rest, and be still.
7 How can it be quiet, seeing the LORD hath given it a charge against Ashkelon, and against the sea shore? (MEDITTERANEAN SEA) there hath he appointed it.
DANIEL 11:40-43
40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south ( EGYPT) push at him:(EU DICTATOR IN ISRAEL) and the king of the north (RUSSIA AND MUSLIM HORDES OF EZEK 38+39) shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.
41 He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.(JORDAN)
42 He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.
43 But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.
JOEL 2:3,20,30-31
3 A fire(NUCLEAR ATOMIC BOMB) devoureth before them;(RUSSIA-ARABS-MUSLIMS) and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them,(BEFORE THE NUKE GOES OFF) and behind them a desolate wilderness;(AFTER THE ATOMIC BOMB GOES OFF) yea, and nothing shall escape them.(EVERYTHING NUKED)
20 But I will remove far off from you the northern army,(RUSSIA,ARAB,MUSLIMS) and will drive him into a land barren and desolate,(SIBERIAN DESERT) with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.(FOR COMING AGAINST ISRAEL)
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.(NUCLEAR BOMB)
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
Palestinians protest in West Bank, holy site
By | Associated Press – 1 hr 15 mins ago FEB 22,13
JERUSALEM (AP) — Palestinians rallying in support of four hunger striking prisoners have clashed with Israeli forces in the West Bank and at a holy site in Jerusalem.Israel's military said hundreds of Palestinians in Hebron and
elsewhere in the West Bank threw rocks at soldiers who responded with
tear gas. Palestinian emergency services said dozens were treated for
tear gas inhalation and rubber bullet wounds.In Jerusalem, dozens of Palestinians emerging from Friday prayers
threw rocks at officers who responded with stun grenades, police said.
That clash was at a key holy site known to Jews as the Temple Mount and
to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary.Protests have been ongoing for about a week. Israel holds a few thousand Palestinians on charges ranging from rock throwing to deadly attacks.
Activists report shelling near Damascus airport
By | Associated Press – 2 hrs 9 mins ago FEB 22,13
BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian warplanes and artillery hit targets near Damascus International Airport
on Friday following a particularly bloody day of attacks in the capital
that killed dozens and struck deep into the heart of the city.There were no immediate reports of casualties from Friday's shelling,
which targeted the towns of Beit Sahm and Shebaa near the main airport
road south of the capital, activists said.The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the Local Coordination Committees also reported clashes in the rebel strongholds of Daraya and Moadamiyeh, southwest of Damascus.Recent rebel advances in the Damascus suburbs, combined with the
bombings and three straight days of mortar attacks, mark the most
sustained challenge of the civil war for control of Assad's seat of power.Syrian state media said the car bombing on Thursday in the heart of
Damascus — near the ruling Baath Party headquarters and the Russian
Embassy — was a suicide attack that killed 53 civilians and wounded more
than 200, including children. Anti-regime activists put the death toll
at 61, which would make it the deadliest Damascus bombing of the revolt.
The different tolls could not be reconciled because the regime
restricts independent media access.The main opposition group, the Syrian National Coalition,
condemned the attack without accusing any specific group of carrying it
out. It did, however, suggest that the regime allowed foreign terror
groups to operate in Syria.
"The terrorist Assad regime bears the most responsibility for all the crimes that happen in the homeland because it has opened the doors to those with different agendas to enter Syria and harm its stability so it can hide behind this and use it as an excuse to justify its crimes," the group said in a statement.There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but suspicion will likely fall upon one of the most extreme of Syria's myriad rebel factions, the al-Qaida-linked Jabhat al-Nusra. The group, which the U.S. has designated as a terrorist organization, has claimed similar past bombings against regime targets.On Friday, the Coalition said it would welcome U.S. and Russian mediation to negotiate a peace deal to end the country's civil wall but insisted it would not allow Assad or members of his security services to participate in the talks.The announced came in a statement posted on the Coalition's Facebook page following two-day meetings in Cairo meant to try to firm up its position on whether to engage with the regime in talks."Bashar Assad and the security and military leadership responsible for the state of Syria today must step down and be considered outside this political process," the statement said. "They cannot be part of any political solution for Syria and must be held accountable for their crimes."SNC chief Mouaz al-Khatib has angered some of his colleagues by offering talks with regime elements to help end the civil war. Friday's announcement appeared meant to set the boundaries for any future talks by stressing that Assad and his aides cannot be part of any negotiations.The violence in Damascus follows a string of tactical victories in recent weeks for the rebels — the capture of the nation's largest hydroelectric dam and the overtaking of airbases in the northeast — that have contributed to the sense that the opposition may be gaining momentum.But Damascus is the ultimate prize in the civil war, and many view the battle for the ancient city as the most probable endgame of a conflict which has killed nearly 70,000 people, according to U.N. estimates.The latest violence in the capital has shattered the sense of normalcy that the Syrian regime has desperately tried to maintain in Damascus, a city that has largely been insulated from the bloodshed and destruction that has left other urban centers in ruins.The rebels first launched an offensive on Damascus in July, following a stunning bombing on a high-level government crisis meeting that killed four top regime officials, including Assad's brother-in-law and the defense minister. After that attack, rebel groups that had established footholds in the suburbs pushed in, battling government forces for more than a week before being routed and swept out.Since then, government warplanes have pounded opposition strongholds on Damascus' outskirts, and rebels have managed only small incursions on the city's southern and eastern sides.Also Friday, New York-based Human Rights Watch urged the U.N. to require Syrian authorities to grant international monitors access to its detention facilities, following the death of a peace activist in custody.Omar Aziz, 64, died on Feb. 16 of health complications at a military hospital, the group said in a statement. It went on to describe how a newly released detainee also reported witnessing the death of Ayham Ghazzoul, an imprisoned 26-year-old rights activist. Both had been detained by security forces in November."Aziz's death, and Ghazzoul's feared death are yet another reminder of the need to immediately lift the veil of secrecy over Syria's prisons," said Sarah Leah Whitson, HRW's Middle East director. "How many more deaths in custody before the Security Council requires Syria to open up its detention centers?" Human rights groups and the opposition accuse Syrian authorities of holding tens of thousands of prisoners, many of whom it is feared have been being tortured.
For nearly four decades, the Assad regime in Syria ensured that the border with the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights remained quiet. But in a treeless valley at the foot of snow-capped Mount Hermon, it's clear that is changing.A sturdy new fence, surveillance sensors, and troop deployments along
the Israeli side of the 65-mile border reflect concern in the Jewish
state about the spillover from Syria’s civil war and what comes after
the expected downfall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Errant fire from Syria has already crossed into Israeli territory several times, prompting Israel to fire back once."Things can change dramatically in hours," says Kobi Marom, a resident of the Golan Heights
ski village, Neve Ativ, and reserve Army colonel, as he surveys the
valley. "We are trying to be prepared for a new situation in the
region."After two years of watching the Syrian conflict from the sidelines,
the hostilities seem to have arrived at Israel’s doorstep. Syrian rebels
are fighting to wrest control of the border from the Syrian Army,
and there’s an increasing fear that militant groups on both sides of
the civil war will get their hands on the country's advanced weapons
arsenal and set their sites on Israel
next. That presents a quandry for Israeli officials: Can they protect
the country without getting sucked in to Syria's violence?
TREADING A VERY THIN LINE
Analysts say that balancing between the two will be increasingly difficult if the central authority continues to crumble in Syria and multiple power centers emerge in the countrywide war.But some Israeli officials and security analysts see an upside to the chaos. The fall of Mr. Assad could be a strategic boost for Israel because it would sever the "Shiite crescent" that stretches from Iran to Lebanon, connecting Hezbollah to its supporters in Tehran. And former chief of IDF intelligence Amos Yadlin recently said that Israel has become more secure because the Syrian Army no longer poses a conventional threat to Israel."The main question is the day after," says Bernadetta Berti, a fellow at Tel Aviv University’s Institute for National Security Studies. "From the Israeli perspective, a Syria not ruled by Assad is something that it should look upon favorably, but from my perspective the day after, Assad will be complicated."On one front, Israel fears that rising chaos and the proliferation of Islamist militants just beyond the Golan Heights fence could lead to cross-border attacks like those from Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula into southern Israel after the fall of former Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak. Israeli communities in the Golan Heights have already been put on alert, and local Army commanders said they have formulated a new defense doctrine to cope with the Syrian instability.Israel also worries about the transfer of advanced weapons and chemical warheads from Syria to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, a development Israeli leaders consider a "red line" because it could give the Iranian ally a major boost in a future war. In late January, Israeli airplanes reportedly bombed a convoy in Syria carrying anti-aircraft missiles to Lebanon – the first major Israeli attack on Syria since 2007.Even though Israel never officially claimed responsibility, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said after the attack that Israel is serious about blocking the transfer of sophisticated weapons from Syria to Lebanon.One Israeli Middle East analyst cautions that Israel risks becoming embroiled in the Syrian fighting, much like Israel became embroiled in the Lebanon civil war, culminating with an invasion in 1982."If you draw a red line, you will have to enforce that red line, and that will push you into the conflict," says Guy Bechor, a Middle East historian at the Herzliya Interdisciplinary Center. "We have been there in Lebanon trapped in between religions and sects. This is not our war."
A 'DEVELOPING THREAT'
Back on the ground along the Golan border, Israeli soldiers and civilians can observe and hear the fighting less than a mile away.A week ago, Israel accepted for the first time a small group of wounded Syrian rebel fighters who requested treatment, raising questions about whether Israel would become a shelter like other Syrian neighbors.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is pushing to complete construction of the Golan border fence, said afterward that as a rule Israel will not allow Syrians to cross into Israeli-controlled territory, but would make exceptions on "humanitarian grounds."Senior Israel Defense Force (IDF) officers in the Northern Command began predicting last year that, amid Assad’s collapse, the Golan might be targeted by militants backed by Iran or global jihadist groups who have flocked to Syria to join the fight against the Assad regime. The IDF declined to comment on the border situation this week, but Mr. Marom said reservists have been replaced by regular elite forces recently. Two months ago, a senior officer said the IDF had updated its intelligence gathering effort, and adopted a new operational doctrine."The combination of all of this is to meet the developing threat," said Brig. Gen. Tamir Heiman in a December interview with Channel 2 news. "I don’t know if it will happen, but it’s good to be ready."In the Alonei Habashan farming cooperative, located just a quarter of a mile from the border, residents are also ready. The main gate is closed at night and residents say they are locking their doors for the first time for fear of infiltration. "We will get hit first," says Yiska Dekel, chairwoman of the local board.Now that the Syrian regime is fighting rebel forces right on the border, the Army considers the border region an eyzor sfar – a "frontier region" – with a vacuum of authority, like Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. In the absence of a central "address" to retaliate against, the question for the Army becomes how to respond to infiltrations or the possibility of rocket strikes from Syria into Israel.Military officers have spoken of retaliatory incursions. Another defensive solution would be to enforce a no-man’s zone by shooting into a defined area along the Syrian side while staying on the Israeli side of the border – a tactic used by Israel in the Gaza Strip in recent years.Israeli analysts believe the best-case scenario for a post-Assad Syria would be a Sunni-dominated government with ties to Turkey and the Gulf. However, that may be a long way off, and in the interim, further chaos is likely. Reserve Colonel Marom predicts that the power vacuum will continue over the next two to three years. If attacks on Israel escalate, Israel may find itself mulling the establishment of a security zone inside Syria – just as it did in southern Lebanon before withdrawing 2,000. That would entail a limited ground invasion"I hope the Army has a plan for a security zone," says a security officer at a Golan Heights Israeli community who declined to give his name because he is subject to the Army. "I don’t like it, but if no one gets control over Syria, we’ll have no alternative."
"The terrorist Assad regime bears the most responsibility for all the crimes that happen in the homeland because it has opened the doors to those with different agendas to enter Syria and harm its stability so it can hide behind this and use it as an excuse to justify its crimes," the group said in a statement.There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but suspicion will likely fall upon one of the most extreme of Syria's myriad rebel factions, the al-Qaida-linked Jabhat al-Nusra. The group, which the U.S. has designated as a terrorist organization, has claimed similar past bombings against regime targets.On Friday, the Coalition said it would welcome U.S. and Russian mediation to negotiate a peace deal to end the country's civil wall but insisted it would not allow Assad or members of his security services to participate in the talks.The announced came in a statement posted on the Coalition's Facebook page following two-day meetings in Cairo meant to try to firm up its position on whether to engage with the regime in talks."Bashar Assad and the security and military leadership responsible for the state of Syria today must step down and be considered outside this political process," the statement said. "They cannot be part of any political solution for Syria and must be held accountable for their crimes."SNC chief Mouaz al-Khatib has angered some of his colleagues by offering talks with regime elements to help end the civil war. Friday's announcement appeared meant to set the boundaries for any future talks by stressing that Assad and his aides cannot be part of any negotiations.The violence in Damascus follows a string of tactical victories in recent weeks for the rebels — the capture of the nation's largest hydroelectric dam and the overtaking of airbases in the northeast — that have contributed to the sense that the opposition may be gaining momentum.But Damascus is the ultimate prize in the civil war, and many view the battle for the ancient city as the most probable endgame of a conflict which has killed nearly 70,000 people, according to U.N. estimates.The latest violence in the capital has shattered the sense of normalcy that the Syrian regime has desperately tried to maintain in Damascus, a city that has largely been insulated from the bloodshed and destruction that has left other urban centers in ruins.The rebels first launched an offensive on Damascus in July, following a stunning bombing on a high-level government crisis meeting that killed four top regime officials, including Assad's brother-in-law and the defense minister. After that attack, rebel groups that had established footholds in the suburbs pushed in, battling government forces for more than a week before being routed and swept out.Since then, government warplanes have pounded opposition strongholds on Damascus' outskirts, and rebels have managed only small incursions on the city's southern and eastern sides.Also Friday, New York-based Human Rights Watch urged the U.N. to require Syrian authorities to grant international monitors access to its detention facilities, following the death of a peace activist in custody.Omar Aziz, 64, died on Feb. 16 of health complications at a military hospital, the group said in a statement. It went on to describe how a newly released detainee also reported witnessing the death of Ayham Ghazzoul, an imprisoned 26-year-old rights activist. Both had been detained by security forces in November."Aziz's death, and Ghazzoul's feared death are yet another reminder of the need to immediately lift the veil of secrecy over Syria's prisons," said Sarah Leah Whitson, HRW's Middle East director. "How many more deaths in custody before the Security Council requires Syria to open up its detention centers?" Human rights groups and the opposition accuse Syrian authorities of holding tens of thousands of prisoners, many of whom it is feared have been being tortured.
Israel braces for action along the Syrian border
The Israeli-Syrian border has been quiet under the Assad regime. But with government control slipping, and fighting sending errant fire into Israel, Israel may have to act.
By Joshua Mitnick | Christian Science Monitor – 22 hrs ago FEB 21,13TREADING A VERY THIN LINE
Analysts say that balancing between the two will be increasingly difficult if the central authority continues to crumble in Syria and multiple power centers emerge in the countrywide war.But some Israeli officials and security analysts see an upside to the chaos. The fall of Mr. Assad could be a strategic boost for Israel because it would sever the "Shiite crescent" that stretches from Iran to Lebanon, connecting Hezbollah to its supporters in Tehran. And former chief of IDF intelligence Amos Yadlin recently said that Israel has become more secure because the Syrian Army no longer poses a conventional threat to Israel."The main question is the day after," says Bernadetta Berti, a fellow at Tel Aviv University’s Institute for National Security Studies. "From the Israeli perspective, a Syria not ruled by Assad is something that it should look upon favorably, but from my perspective the day after, Assad will be complicated."On one front, Israel fears that rising chaos and the proliferation of Islamist militants just beyond the Golan Heights fence could lead to cross-border attacks like those from Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula into southern Israel after the fall of former Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak. Israeli communities in the Golan Heights have already been put on alert, and local Army commanders said they have formulated a new defense doctrine to cope with the Syrian instability.Israel also worries about the transfer of advanced weapons and chemical warheads from Syria to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, a development Israeli leaders consider a "red line" because it could give the Iranian ally a major boost in a future war. In late January, Israeli airplanes reportedly bombed a convoy in Syria carrying anti-aircraft missiles to Lebanon – the first major Israeli attack on Syria since 2007.Even though Israel never officially claimed responsibility, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said after the attack that Israel is serious about blocking the transfer of sophisticated weapons from Syria to Lebanon.One Israeli Middle East analyst cautions that Israel risks becoming embroiled in the Syrian fighting, much like Israel became embroiled in the Lebanon civil war, culminating with an invasion in 1982."If you draw a red line, you will have to enforce that red line, and that will push you into the conflict," says Guy Bechor, a Middle East historian at the Herzliya Interdisciplinary Center. "We have been there in Lebanon trapped in between religions and sects. This is not our war."
A 'DEVELOPING THREAT'
Back on the ground along the Golan border, Israeli soldiers and civilians can observe and hear the fighting less than a mile away.A week ago, Israel accepted for the first time a small group of wounded Syrian rebel fighters who requested treatment, raising questions about whether Israel would become a shelter like other Syrian neighbors.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is pushing to complete construction of the Golan border fence, said afterward that as a rule Israel will not allow Syrians to cross into Israeli-controlled territory, but would make exceptions on "humanitarian grounds."Senior Israel Defense Force (IDF) officers in the Northern Command began predicting last year that, amid Assad’s collapse, the Golan might be targeted by militants backed by Iran or global jihadist groups who have flocked to Syria to join the fight against the Assad regime. The IDF declined to comment on the border situation this week, but Mr. Marom said reservists have been replaced by regular elite forces recently. Two months ago, a senior officer said the IDF had updated its intelligence gathering effort, and adopted a new operational doctrine."The combination of all of this is to meet the developing threat," said Brig. Gen. Tamir Heiman in a December interview with Channel 2 news. "I don’t know if it will happen, but it’s good to be ready."In the Alonei Habashan farming cooperative, located just a quarter of a mile from the border, residents are also ready. The main gate is closed at night and residents say they are locking their doors for the first time for fear of infiltration. "We will get hit first," says Yiska Dekel, chairwoman of the local board.Now that the Syrian regime is fighting rebel forces right on the border, the Army considers the border region an eyzor sfar – a "frontier region" – with a vacuum of authority, like Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. In the absence of a central "address" to retaliate against, the question for the Army becomes how to respond to infiltrations or the possibility of rocket strikes from Syria into Israel.Military officers have spoken of retaliatory incursions. Another defensive solution would be to enforce a no-man’s zone by shooting into a defined area along the Syrian side while staying on the Israeli side of the border – a tactic used by Israel in the Gaza Strip in recent years.Israeli analysts believe the best-case scenario for a post-Assad Syria would be a Sunni-dominated government with ties to Turkey and the Gulf. However, that may be a long way off, and in the interim, further chaos is likely. Reserve Colonel Marom predicts that the power vacuum will continue over the next two to three years. If attacks on Israel escalate, Israel may find itself mulling the establishment of a security zone inside Syria – just as it did in southern Lebanon before withdrawing 2,000. That would entail a limited ground invasion"I hope the Army has a plan for a security zone," says a security officer at a Golan Heights Israeli community who declined to give his name because he is subject to the Army. "I don’t like it, but if no one gets control over Syria, we’ll have no alternative."
Iran appears to advance in construction of Arak nuclear plant
By Fredrik Dahl | Reuters – 4 hrs ago FEB 22,13
VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran appears to be advancing in its construction of a research reactor Western experts say could offer the Islamic state a second way of producing material for a nuclear bomb, if it decided to embark on such a course, a U.N. report showed.Iran has almost completed installation of cooling and
moderator circuit piping in the heavy water plant near the town of Arak, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a confidential report issued to member states late on Thursday.Nuclear analysts say this type of reactor could yield plutonium
for nuclear arms if the spent fuel is reprocessed, something Iran has
said it has no intention of doing. Iran has said it "does not have
reprocessing activities", the IAEA said.
In its previous report on Iran, in November, the Vienna-based U.N. agency said installation work at Arak was continuing, without giving any indication of how far advanced it was.Iran rejects Western allegations it seeks to develop a capability to assemble nuclear weapons, saying its atomic program is entirely peaceful and that the Arak reactor will produce isotopes for medical and agricultural use.Iran says it plans to begin operating the facility in the first quarter of 2014, the IAEA said. Tehran last year postponed the planned start-up from the third quarter of 2013, a target that Western experts said always had seemed unrealistic.
The Arms Control Association, a Washington-based research and advocacy group, said late last year that it was questionable whether Iran would be able to meet the new target date as well, in view of "significant delays and impeded access to necessary materials" because of international sanctions imposed on Iran.
Western worries about Iran are focused largely on uranium enrichment plants at Natanz and Fordow, as such material refined to a high level can provide the fissile core of an atomic bomb. But experts say Arak may also be a proliferation issue.The Arak facility is a "growing source of concern", said Mark Fitzpatrick, director of the non-proliferation and disarmament program of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), a London-based think-tank.Israel, believed to be the Middle East's only nuclear-armed state, sees Iran's nuclear program as a serious danger and has threatened to attack its atomic sites if diplomacy and sanctions fail to resolve the decade-old dispute.If it does, the nuclear sites at Natanz, Fordow and Arak in central Iran are likely to be targets. Fitzpatrick said it could be Arak that triggers a conflict because attacking it after it is launched could cause an environmental disaster.
TESTING FUEL FOR ARAK REACTOR
Thursday's quarterly IAEA report showed Iran expanding its uranium enrichment program in defiance of tightening Western sanctions, installing advanced centrifuge machines at its main enrichment plant near the town of Natanz.The report, issued just a few days before six world powers and Iran are due to resume negotiations after an eight-month hiatus, underlined the tough task facing the West in seeking to pressure Tehran to curb its nuclear activities.Cliff Kupchan, Middle East director at the Eurasia consultancy, said Iran had adopted a defiant policy of pressing ahead with its nuclear program, despite harsh sanctions."As a result, Israel and the U.S. Congress will press a receptive U.S. administration to move forward with new and even harsher sanctions," he said in a research note.Enriched uranium can fuel nuclear power plants, Iran's stated aim, but also provide the explosive core of a nuclear weapon if refined much further. Making plutonium from spent fuel is a second way of obtaining potential bomb material.The Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), a U.S. think-tank, noted that Iran planned to use a medical research reactor in Tehran, known as TRR, to test fuel for Arak."The TRR is now more than a medical isotope production reactor, Iran's stated use for the reactor, and is necessary for the operation" of Arak, it said in a report.If operated optimally, the heavy-water plant could produce about nine kilograms (20 pounds) of plutonium a year, or enough for about two nuclear bombs annually, ISIS has said previously."Before it could use any of the plutonium in a nuclear weapon, however, it would first have to separate the plutonium from the irradiated fuel," it added on its website.Iran has repeatedly declared it has no plans to reprocess the spent fuel. But, "similarly sized reactors ostensibly built for research" have been used by India, Israel, North Korea and Pakistan to make plutonium for weapons, Fitzpatrick said.(Editing by Mark Heinrich)
The IDF is prepared for a new reality in the Golan as Syria
continues to descend into chaos, Brigadier-General (ret.) Kobi Marom
told Arutz Sheva.“The IDF has prepared for the new reality that will be in the Golan,”
he said. “There are fears of an escalation, and serious concern that if
there is violence [in the region] the target will not be Assad.”“It’s a problematic reality, and the IDF has prepared accordingly,” he continued.Civilians are prepared as well, he added. “The towns in the Golan
Heights are preparing. There’s no panic, there’s no hysteria, but they
understand that the current reality is likely to completely change.”
Currently, Marom said, “Assad’s situation is worse, but it is hard to estimate how long it will take” for his regime to fall. “In the meantime, Israelis continue to tour the area, but the routine could change.”Regarding Israel’s recent decision to provide medical care to several wounded Syrians, Marom said there is no reason to fear that the move will open the doors to a potentially dangerous flood of refugees from Syria, which remains officially at war with Israel. “It was a one-time humanitarian gesture,” he said.“In any case,” he added, “most of them prefer to go to refugee camps in Turkey and on the Jordanian border, not to Israel… They prefer to go to friendly states, not to us.”Marom noted that the conflict in Syria has pushed many Druze residents of the Golan closer to Israel. Many have requested Israeli citizenship, he said.“In the past they had a connection to Syria and they weren’t interested in [citizenship], but today many Druze are requesting Israeli citizenship because of the uncertainty and the desire to be connected to a stable Israeli government,” he explained.“There are hundreds of students who used to travel to Damascus to study, and today they prefer to go to Tel Chai or Haifa,” he added.
In its previous report on Iran, in November, the Vienna-based U.N. agency said installation work at Arak was continuing, without giving any indication of how far advanced it was.Iran rejects Western allegations it seeks to develop a capability to assemble nuclear weapons, saying its atomic program is entirely peaceful and that the Arak reactor will produce isotopes for medical and agricultural use.Iran says it plans to begin operating the facility in the first quarter of 2014, the IAEA said. Tehran last year postponed the planned start-up from the third quarter of 2013, a target that Western experts said always had seemed unrealistic.
The Arms Control Association, a Washington-based research and advocacy group, said late last year that it was questionable whether Iran would be able to meet the new target date as well, in view of "significant delays and impeded access to necessary materials" because of international sanctions imposed on Iran.
Western worries about Iran are focused largely on uranium enrichment plants at Natanz and Fordow, as such material refined to a high level can provide the fissile core of an atomic bomb. But experts say Arak may also be a proliferation issue.The Arak facility is a "growing source of concern", said Mark Fitzpatrick, director of the non-proliferation and disarmament program of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), a London-based think-tank.Israel, believed to be the Middle East's only nuclear-armed state, sees Iran's nuclear program as a serious danger and has threatened to attack its atomic sites if diplomacy and sanctions fail to resolve the decade-old dispute.If it does, the nuclear sites at Natanz, Fordow and Arak in central Iran are likely to be targets. Fitzpatrick said it could be Arak that triggers a conflict because attacking it after it is launched could cause an environmental disaster.
TESTING FUEL FOR ARAK REACTOR
Thursday's quarterly IAEA report showed Iran expanding its uranium enrichment program in defiance of tightening Western sanctions, installing advanced centrifuge machines at its main enrichment plant near the town of Natanz.The report, issued just a few days before six world powers and Iran are due to resume negotiations after an eight-month hiatus, underlined the tough task facing the West in seeking to pressure Tehran to curb its nuclear activities.Cliff Kupchan, Middle East director at the Eurasia consultancy, said Iran had adopted a defiant policy of pressing ahead with its nuclear program, despite harsh sanctions."As a result, Israel and the U.S. Congress will press a receptive U.S. administration to move forward with new and even harsher sanctions," he said in a research note.Enriched uranium can fuel nuclear power plants, Iran's stated aim, but also provide the explosive core of a nuclear weapon if refined much further. Making plutonium from spent fuel is a second way of obtaining potential bomb material.The Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), a U.S. think-tank, noted that Iran planned to use a medical research reactor in Tehran, known as TRR, to test fuel for Arak."The TRR is now more than a medical isotope production reactor, Iran's stated use for the reactor, and is necessary for the operation" of Arak, it said in a report.If operated optimally, the heavy-water plant could produce about nine kilograms (20 pounds) of plutonium a year, or enough for about two nuclear bombs annually, ISIS has said previously."Before it could use any of the plutonium in a nuclear weapon, however, it would first have to separate the plutonium from the irradiated fuel," it added on its website.Iran has repeatedly declared it has no plans to reprocess the spent fuel. But, "similarly sized reactors ostensibly built for research" have been used by India, Israel, North Korea and Pakistan to make plutonium for weapons, Fitzpatrick said.(Editing by Mark Heinrich)
IDF Ready in ‘Volatile’ Golan
The IDF is prepared for a new reality in the Golan, retired general says. Region currently ‘volatile'.
By Maayana Miskin First Publish: 2/22/2013, 10:55 AM-Israelnationalnews
Netanyahu in the Golan-Flash 90
Currently, Marom said, “Assad’s situation is worse, but it is hard to estimate how long it will take” for his regime to fall. “In the meantime, Israelis continue to tour the area, but the routine could change.”Regarding Israel’s recent decision to provide medical care to several wounded Syrians, Marom said there is no reason to fear that the move will open the doors to a potentially dangerous flood of refugees from Syria, which remains officially at war with Israel. “It was a one-time humanitarian gesture,” he said.“In any case,” he added, “most of them prefer to go to refugee camps in Turkey and on the Jordanian border, not to Israel… They prefer to go to friendly states, not to us.”Marom noted that the conflict in Syria has pushed many Druze residents of the Golan closer to Israel. Many have requested Israeli citizenship, he said.“In the past they had a connection to Syria and they weren’t interested in [citizenship], but today many Druze are requesting Israeli citizenship because of the uncertainty and the desire to be connected to a stable Israeli government,” he explained.“There are hundreds of students who used to travel to Damascus to study, and today they prefer to go to Tel Chai or Haifa,” he added.