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 Commission readies Article 7 procedure against Poland By Eszter Zalan-JULY 19,17-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 15:55-The European Commission is coming “very close” to launching the Article 7 sanction procedure against Poland, if its government fails to amend recently adopted laws on the judiciary, which the EU executive says erode the rule of law in the post-communist country.Commission vice-president Frans Timmermans said the laws recently adopted by the Polish parliament, and the proposed reform of the Supreme Court, put the judiciary under political control and are an attack on the rule of law."These laws considerably increase the threat to the rule of law in Poland,” Timmermans told reporters after a meeting of commissioners on Wednesday (19 July)."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, […] judges will serve at the pleasure of the political leaders,” he added.The European Commission will launch legal probes into the laws next week, once their text is published and translated.The EU executive is also preparing to trigger Article 7, a two-phased procedure that assesses the risk of a systematic threat to the rule of law and could eventually lead to sanctions, such as suspending a member state's voting rights.“We are coming very close to triggering Article 7. Our hand is still extended to the Polish authorities for dialogue, […] but dialogue will not stop the commission from taking any measures it deems necessary,” Timmermans said.Launching the procedure would require the EU member states to vote by qualified majority, but they have been reluctant so far to single out fellow governments over rule of law issues.Timmermans said the commission’s worries are "broadly shared by the member states” and, at a recent council meeting in May, they urged Poland to restart the dialogue with the EU executive, which Warsaw has failed to do.The commissioners agreed to try to organise the necessary majority among member states to launch Article 7, by talking to the national governments, an EU official said.The EU executive is treading carefully, as it does not want the procedure to be shot down immediately in the Council of the EU, since this would would mean the commission has run out of options to put pressure on the Polish government.The commission is arguing - in the same way it did in 2013 with Hungary, when the country's judiciary came under political pressure - that a threat to the rule of law in any EU country threatens other member states as well, as upholding EU law becomes unreliable.“The rule of law defines our union. This is no matter only for the Polish people. What is happening in Poland affects the union as a whole, every member state, every citizen of the union,” Timmermans said.Despite warning letters from Timmermans not to go through with the bills, last Friday (14 July) the Polish parliament passed two laws that grant authority to the government to select 15 out of 22 judges on the National Council of the Judiciary, which appoints judges.A third bill, which is still under discussion, would allow the justice minister to choose the Supreme Court members.Overnight amendments - proposed Tuesday (18 July) by Polish president Andrzej Duda on the Supreme Court reform - would mean that party consensus is required to appoint the judges.Timmermans said he took note of the amendments, but said they are not enough.“Together they represent a serious attack on the rule of law, and a single law is also an attack on the rule of law,”The Dutch commissioner invited the Polish justice minister, Zbigniew Ziobro, and the foreign affairs minister, Witold Waszczykowski, to Brussels for talks.Earlier attempts for political dialogue in Warsaw were unsuccessful, as only low-level Polish government officials would meet with Timmermans.In 2016, the EU commission already said that there was a risk of a systemic threat to the rule of Poland. The European Parliament has also expressed its grave concerns over the Polish government’s actions.Under the so-called rule of law framework, the commission has already issued recommendations to Poland concerning its Constitutional Tribunal.In light of Brexit, Timmermans said there was “no way” the Polish people would support a government that advocates leaving the EU, even as pressure from Brussels increases on Warsaw's nationalistic government, which is led by the Law and Justice party (PiS).“I will do everything I can […], to make sure that Poland sticks to a development that fosters the rule of law, democracy, openness, the freedom of the media, market economy, opportunity for all - this is the clear goal of the Polish people when they freed themselves from communist oppression,” he said.Timmermans highlighted that the EU has helped with Poland’s development in recent years, saying that it was at the level of present-day Ukraine when it first joined the bloc.Speaking later, Timmermans' Polish colleague, industry commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska, warned that if the reforms were implemented, "there will not be any understanding here in Brussels."She also warned that Poland could benefit less from EU funds, when the next EU multiannual budget will be discussed."Given the whole mood surrounding Poland ... it will have very adverse effects on the discussions on budget," she told journalists.
Opinion-Central Europe should be wary of Brexit stopping By Tomas Prouza-JULY 19,17-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 17:05-Tony Blair just published a long analysis on the British political situation. Unsurprisingly, it centres around building an attractive new political middle-ground. But it also proposed a dangerous bargain – the Brits will forget about Brexit if the EU agrees to limit freedom of movement.It may sound like an idea from a parallel universe, since we know that Brexit means Brexit - as prime minister Theresa May and most of her Conservative Party keep reminding us - while a significant ingredient of Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party election success was to make sure they present no strong opinion on Brexit.However, things may change quickly. If there is still a negotiation a year from now at all, it will be very rough as the Brits finally start to understand the economic damage Brexit will bring to their country - low growth, high inflation and an upcoming shock to its export-oriented industries.By early summer 2018, there may be a frantic search for a way out of Brexit – and the only argument that could persuade British voters would be a significant limitation of the freedom of movement in the EU.Let's forget for a moment that the British economy is badly dependent on EU workers and that they contribute significantly more to the UK Treasury than British citizens and migrants from non-EU countries. The British political imperative has been the same for quite some time – we must limit migration, whatever the cost.-Good bargain-So it is perfectly logical that Tony Blair proposes to get the limitation of free movement from the EU as the benefit for the UK to stop Brexit. He also thinks that it is a good bargain for the UK, despite the economic cost that kicking out EU workers would have for Britain.It would help the UK to avoid a significantly higher economic and political cost of "hard" or "no deal" Brexit – and Blair also understands that the British dislike of "people from the East" is shared by many Western European politicians.When we negotiated at the February 2016 European Council with David Cameron, trying to find a deal that would allow the UK to stay in the EU, the problem was not to agree to limit the number of people working in Britain.The problem was with several other Western European leaders that liked this draft deal too much and wanted to get the same powers to limit free movement as the Brits.Today, we can easily dismiss Blair's idea of limited free movement in exchange of no Brexit, as it was flatly refused by the Conservatives. Even his Labour Party tried to shoot it down, so that it could avoid having an opinion on Brexit and thus carry on fishing in both the Remain and Leave ponds of dissatisfied voters.-Caution needed-But we need to be careful. Western Europe is no longer in love with the post-communist countries. And matters are only made worse by the unwillingness of the newer member states to deal reasonably with thorny issues such as migration, asylum policy or posted workers.This, combined with the worsening of the wider picture due to the situation in Poland and Hungary, unfortunately solidifies the image of Central and Eastern Europe as a region that is only interested in the benefits of the EU while trying to ignore the costs of the membership.It is a badly mistaken view - at least for some countries of the region - but we do nothing effective to change it.Undoubtedly, there will be a price to pay for this failure. And we will be lucky if it is only a lower share of the EU funds post-2020. But we should not underestimate the danger of the freedom of movement debate getting out of control.Furthermore, if the Franco-German engine of European integration finally gets restarted, it is clear that a great deal of energy will be devoted to deeper integration of the Eurozone.In that case, nobody will pay much attention to the outliers – even if they are in the centre of Europe, geographically, and their well-being is so closely interconnected with the Eurozone.Tomas Prouza is a former State Secretary for EU Affairs of the Czech Republic.
Investigation-Mafia money pollutes the EU economy By Eleonora Bianchini, Martina Castigliani, Giuseppe Pipitone, Mario Portanova-JULY 19,17-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 17:28-Major profits from large-scale illegal activities have to be laundered to enter the so-called clean economy.The money laundering itself is increasingly done by external specialised groups, which take a 5-8 percent cut for the service, Europol, the EU's police agency, says.When only considering the Italian mafias, a 2016 report by the EU's judicial cooperation agency, Eurojust, notes their infiltration into the legitimate economy in "Spain (particularly favoured by the Italian Camorra), the Netherlands, Romania, France, Germany, and the UK."But how are they doing this? Primarily through "real estate investments and participation in public or private contracts, particularly in the field of construction, public utilities and waste disposal," the report says.The Transcrime Organized Crime Portfolio (OCP), edited by Paolo Savona and Michele Riccardi, also notes "cases of organised crime investments were found in almost all EU member states (24 out of 28)", predominantly in Italy, France, Spain, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, and Romania.Dirty money, the OCP study says, is mostly "in areas with a historically strong presence of organised crime groups (e.g. southern Italy), in border regions, or in areas which may play a crucial role in illicit trafficking (e.g. Andalusia, or Rotterdam and Marseille with their harbours), large urban areas (e.g. London, Amsterdam, Madrid, Berlin) and tourist or coastal areas (e.g. Côte d’Azur, Murcia, Malaga or European capitals).Southern Spain, for example, attracts dirty money from Italian mafias, Russian criminals and northern European biker gangs.In recent years, criminal investments focused on "renewable energy, waste collection and management, money transfers, casinos, VLT, slot machines, games and betting".-Europe’s response-Recommendations on these issues have been made repeatedly to the member states and the European Commission through resolutions, reports, and policies approved by the European Parliament, but they have all yet to be enacted.Among those requesting action are Eurojust and Europol, which are well aware of the risks posed by the mafia.Nevertheless, the EU does at least have a definition of organised crime.A Council framework decision from 24 October 2008 defines it as: "a structured association, established over a period of time, of more than two persons acting in concert with a view to committing offences … to obtain, directly or indirectly, a financial or other material benefit."This definition, however, does not satisfy the Europol investigators because, according to a “Serious and Organized Crime Threat Assessment” (Socta) report in 2017, it "does not adequately describe the complex and flexible nature of modern organised crime networks."Article 2 of the framework decision requires all member states to consider the offence of organised crime itself as separate from the actual committing of a crime (it suffices to agree to commit or plan for illicit activity) - something that already exists in Italian law.Yet, ten years later, this issue is still on the table.-Member state differences-Eurojust's 2016 report notes that "not all member states … have adopted similar provisions," and "when they have done so, the extent of the application of and penalties attached to such offences varies greatly, and so do the possibility and requirements for applying special investigative techniques such as wiretapping."Denmark and Sweden still have no organised crime law. Instead, individual crimes that have been committed are punished with the aggravating factor of colluding with several people.Germany and the Netherlands have legislation, but it is considered rather lenient. And Bulgaria is only one of the few countries to harmonise its own legislation with the 2008 Council framework decision.This is the first problem faced when fighting the mafia on a European scale: Member states do not agree on what organised crime is, and in some cases, whether there is even a need for such a definition.And then there is the fact that the specific offence of mafia association, which was an innovation in the Italian criminal code dating back to 1982, does not exist anywhere else. For example, an investigation into the 'Ndrangheta group, which started in Reggio Calabria, risks running aground in the Netherlands.For this reason, a 2011 EU parliament resolution asked that all individual member states "make associating with mafias or other criminal rings a punishable crime," and that they do so "even without any specific acts of violence or threats."This specification responds to the mafias' ability to camouflage themselves, since they have declined considerably in their rates of violence, in Italy and abroad, to avoid drawing too much attention from investigators and public opinion.Six years later, no country has followed up on the EU parliament's request, however.As well, in 2013, Europol called for a European version of Italy’s innovative anti-mafia law.In a report on Italian organised crime, Europol said: "Being a member of a mafia-type organisation must be considered as a crime per se." It added that: “Anti-mafia legislation must be harmonised at EU level, and extradition requests for fugitive mafiosi should be prioritised by receiving competent authorities."-But no progress has been made since.-Alternative punishments-The cornerstone of the fight against organised crime is undoubtedly an EU directive from 3 April 2014 on the freezing and confiscation of the proceeds of crime in the EU.Originally hailed as a breakthrough, the legislation, as in many cases, ended up being watered down during the approval procedure.The final text is based on recognising that, although cross-border criminals aim for profit, "the existing regimes for extended confiscation and for the mutual recognition of freezing and confiscation orders are not fully effective."The problem is specifically "differences between member states’ law."But not all countries considered this a problem. The UK and Denmark did not sign the directive, and are not bound by it. Poland voted against it; Ireland voted for it but limited it to the crimes covered by its own national law.When the directive was approved, Sonia Alfano, the former chair of the EU parliament's special committee on organised crime, corruption and money laundering (CRIM), lent her disapproval, saying some “member states prefer to protect defendants rather than victims of crimes."Countries like Germany, she said, were "given the chance to return assets gained from illicit activities to the EU’s coffers," but “blocked the way and obstructed approval of a more effective, ambitious text."During the discussion about the confiscation directive, amendments were introduced by the EU parliament’s committee for civil liberties, justice and internal affairs, which clearly stated that an effective fight against organised crime would unquestionably need measures separate from criminal convictions, especially regarding "assets and profits."But why did these intentions fall by the wayside? -Many obstacles-The problem is best explained in a study by the Icarus Project, led by Nando dalla Chiesa of the University of Milan and by Anna Catasta of the European Initiative Centre in 2016: "The opposition was due primarily to the fear that preventive confiscation would be a disproportionate risk on the issue of the protection of the rights of property."At the top EU institutions, there also appears to be an endless struggle between protecting rights and pursuing justice.Moreover, confiscation without conviction has been given the green light many times by the European Court of Human Rights. Judges have clarified that it is not punishment without trial, but a matter of preventive measures.Although the European system for fighting crime is making small steps forward, it often seems to be going around in circles on the most sensitive aspects.On 7 October 2016, the EU parliament approved the report on the fight against corruption, prepared by an Italian MEP, Laura Ferrara, which partially adopts the work of Alfano's special committee.The report's 35 pages echoes the same wish-list to the EU commission, that the offence of "criminal association regardless of consummation of criminal ends" should be punishable.And yet, there has still been very little progress. It's like a broken record.This article is the second of a two part investigation on mafias in Europe. It is taken from "United Mafias of Europe: what lacks to fight crime in EU", an investigation published by ilfattoquotidiano.it in Italy. The full investigation and interactive maps can be read here.The first part was about the free movement of organised crime in Europe.
Opinion-Greece needs a new plan By Panagiotis Manolakos and Athina Dretta-JULY 19,17-EUOBSERVER
Athens, Today, 08:57-About seven years ago, Greece signed the first memorandum with international creditors. On 15 June, the completion of the second review of the third bailout programme was confirmed by the Eurogroup and an €8.5 billion tranche of loans was approved.Now, rumours fly that Athens wants to test the waters of the bond markets. Some could say that Greece is on a stable path to recovery but, if you scratch the surface, things are a bit different.In reality, we have once more only kicked the can down the road.The Eurogroup deal includes pension cuts and tax increases that will be implemented in 2019 and 2020.That means Alexis Tsipras will stay on as prime minister of the Syriza-Anel populist coalition for at least another year, and the Germans will not have another Greek drama during their elections in September.For many Greeks, it seems that it has become an endless and futile time of suffering, just like the daughters of Danaus in Greek mythology, carrying water in a sieve.-Water in a sieve-The programmes, so far, were exactly like the sieves - they weren’t made for carrying water. In other words, if we want to successfully “carry the water,” we need a new “device” for that job, or, in our case, a paradigm shift.That’s exactly what we want to propose, a new narrative that will combine the necessary fiscal targets with a vision of a new Greece. We strongly believe that this can be done in the context of the ongoing industrial revolution.To be more specific, we think that several sectors of the Greek economy, combined with key elements of the current industrial revolution can boost the economy and create hope for the people that we can - finally - overcome this crisis.The European Commission suggests that the “Industrial revolution aims to leverage differences between the physical, digital, and biological sphere. It integrates cyberphysical systems and the Internet of Things, big data and cloud computing, robotics based systems and additive manufacturing”.The Greek government, alongside the commission, must work out a plan that will integrate the trends of this industrial revolution with sectors of the Greek economy - such as tourism, energy, food processing industry, agriculture - that are already developed, even if, in some cases, the productivity is relatively low.At the same time, this plan will create a stable - and friendly - environment for new businesses, especially for those that will be focused on those dimensions of the industrial revolution.In fact the adoption of that kind of strategy will really help Greece to make savings and meet the fiscal targets. Digital health care solutions, for example, can reduce costs and improve patient outcomes at the same time.-Smart solutions-That will also be an efficient way to free up resources, which can be used to reduce taxes or for investments - it can also be used for infrastructure. As well, it could - partially - be used to create a fund that would help the middle-aged unemployed people to develop the necessary digital skills or to start new businesses.Agriculture is another example of how we could lay out such a plan.It would be necessary to combine structural reforms. For instance, on one hand, there could be new forms of businesses in order to increase the average size of agricultural holding. And, on the other hand, there may be a focus on emerging technologies of the new industrial revolution - such as artificial intelligence, the internet of things - with the latest technology for weather, soils etc to boost productivity.For such a plan to work, we need, first of all, political commitment. Greece must have the ownership of such a programme and, at the same time, will have to enjoy the full support of the troika of creditors.The latter, among other things, means that the liquidity of the economy must be restored as soon as possible. Secondly, we must set our priorities (as we already described), realistic targets, implement the necessary reforms and invest in infrastructure that is essential for the new industrial revolution.It’s also important to leave behind the rhetoric of “a battle between Greece and troika” that has been used by all governments except the one under Lucas Papadimos premiership in 2011-2012, and the images of “the lazy, corrupted Greeks who don’t do their homework” that several politicians and even bureaucrats in Europe have used.Finally, it is crucial to win the support of the people by giving them a timetable. They must know what to expect, when to expect it and what to hope for.Greece must not be left behind, and such a plan may be the best way to ensure that this does not happen.Panagiotis Manolakos is a sociologist and a former prefectural counsellor of Athens. Athina Dretta is a dentist and a former deputy prefect of Athens and secretary general at the ministry of work and social security.
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.
Wildfire danger prompts fire bans in Alberta; air quality warnings issued-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-July 19, 2017
CALGARY — Fire bans are in place in many areas of Alberta as hot, dry conditions raise the risk of wildfires.One of the bans announced by the Alberta government is for a protected area that stretches along the foothills and mountains in the province's southwest.No fires, including in campgrounds, are allowed. But stoves, barbecues and portable fire pits powered by gas or propane are permitted."Continued hot and dry weather has elevated the fire hazard to extreme levels in some areas of the province, so we are taking this proactive step to help ensure the safety of Albertans and protect our forested areas," Forestry Minister Oneil Carlier said in a release Wednesday -Anyone violating bans or restrictions may get a $287 ticket.Banff and Jasper national parks also have fire bans in place, as do Kootenay and Yoho across the boundary in British Columbia.A wildfire on the B.C. side has closed parts of Banff and Kootenay national parks, and Parks Canada said it would be issuing an update later in the day.Sunshine Village, a popular ski resort on the Alberta-B.C. boundary that offers hiking in the summer, said the fire was 2 1/2 kilometres away on Monday."Thankfully, the area between the fire and Sunshine is high alpine terrain, with little fuel for the fire to consume," the resort said on its website. "Fortunately at Sunshine, due to our cut runs with little brush, we have plenty of defensible space to battle the flame."It said Parks Canada was working hard to prevent the fire from spreading into Sunshine Meadows with its scenic hiking trails or into the village area, which has a day lodge, hotel and restaurants.Hoses, sprinklers and other fire-fighting equipment have been brought in as a precaution. The lodge remains open for guests, but hiking trails are closed.The Canadian Press.
New B.C. Premier John Horgan expands state of emergency over wildfires-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-July 19, 2017
VICTORIA — British Columbia's new government is extending the state of emergency for two more weeks as wildfires sweeping across the province's Interior show no sign of slowing down.Premier John Horgan said his government's first priority is to support the more than 45,000 people displaced by the fires, which have so far torched more than 3,200 square kilometres of land."It's clear to me that we need to do more," Horgan told reporters, speaking outside the legislature in Victoria on his first full day as premier. "We need to give additional support to the communities affected, and the first responders."The current state of emergency expires Friday and Horgan said he regrets having to lengthen it.Horgan also said people who are kept out of their homes for more than 14 days will get a second payment of $600, which will be paid out of a previously announced $100-million fund administered by the Canadian Red Cross."This is unprecedented," Horgan said. "Traditionally, when an emergency is declared, people are usually back in their homes within the two-week period. That may not be the case for many individuals."People forced to leave their homes earlier this year by floods in the Okanagan are also eligible for the increased funds, he added.Horgan said 80 per cent of the people who have registered at wildfire evacuation centres set up across the province have already received the first $600 instalment to help with food, shelter and other expenses.Solicitor General Mike Farnworth and Forests Minister Doug Donaldson have been tapped to co-chair a task force assigned with ensuring the emergency response is not disturbed by the transition between governments.The Canadian Press.
California blaze destroys 8 structures near Yosemite-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-July 19, 2017
FRESNO, Calif. — As wildfires rage throughout the western U.S., one California blaze in the rugged mountains outside of Yosemite National Park destroyed eight structures and forced thousands of nearby residents to flee their homes.As of Tuesday evening, the fire had scorched 39 square miles (101 square kilometres ), according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The blaze burning since Sunday was making its way to the hills on the edge of Mariposa, a town of about 2,000 people under a mandatory evacuation order.Record rain and snowfall in the mountains this winter was celebrated for bringing California's five-year drought to its knees, but it has turned into a challenge for firefighters battling flames feeding on dense vegetation, officials said."There's ample fuel and steep terrain," said California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokeswoman DeeDee Garcia. "It makes firefighting difficult."The Northern California blaze is threatening at least 1,500 homes as well as powerlines that provide electricity to the park, officials said. The park remained open Tuesday but several roads frequented by tourists were closed.The wildfire near Lake McClure, a reservoir about 50 miles (80 kilometres ) east of Modesto, was 5 per cent contained Tuesday evening as at least 1,400 firefighters battled it on the ground and from the air.It's burning near Highway 49, a historical route winding its way up California foothills of the western Sierra Nevada dotted with communities and landmarks that sprouted up during the state's Gold Rush.Joey Street, 49, a tree trimmer who's lived in Mariposa for about 25 years, was among the people who were first evacuated to a Red Cross makeshift shelter set up at Mariposa Elementary School, which was later closed."(Firefighters) don't have control of it now, so they'd better be safe than sorry," Street told the Fresno Bee while waiting to be bused to an evacuation centre in nearby Oakhurst.The conditions significantly worsened from Monday to Tuesday, he said."Yesterday it didn't look too bad, today you can't even see Mt. Bullion right now, which tells me it's getting closer," Street said. "More ash falling from the sky tells me it's getting closer."Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday declared an emergency, bolstering the state's resources to battle the fire that he said has forced thousands of residents to flee and is expected to continue burning.The cause of the blaze remained under investigation.Smoke from the fire in Mariposa County drifted more than 150 miles away to Reno.In a remote northeastern corner of Nevada, roughly 14 homes were damaged or destroyed by a wildfire that started Monday. Officials have lifted an evacuation advisory, allowing hundreds of people to return home and assess damage, authorities said.Wind is driving the flames through invasive cheat grass — growing twice the norm, U.S. Bureau of Land Management spokesman Greg Deimel said."It is very thick, very dense," he said. "You get the winds and the density of the grass, the fire just goes."___Smith reported from Fresno, and Sonner reported from Reno.Scott Smith And Scott Sonner, The Associated Press.
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)
Saudis release woman in viral miniskirt video without charge-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-July 19, 2017
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Saudi Arabia announced Wednesday that a woman who was detained after wearing a miniskirt in a video that went viral has been released without charge.The decision not to press charges was a rare win for supporters of women's rights in Saudi Arabia, who criticized the public outcry against her. It also comes as Saudi Arabia overhauls its prosecution system under a new, young heir to the throne who has taken steps to try and modernize the country and its public image.The viral video and the reaction to it in Saudi Arabia prompted police to bring the woman in for questioning for wearing "immodest clothes" in violation of the kingdom's conservative Islamic dress code.Her release from detention without charge suggests that the subsequent international attention brought to the case may have helped lead to her quick release. Some women fleeing allegedly abusive families have languished in prison without charge, and others in the past have been imprisoned for defying Saudi Arabia's ban on women driving.The young woman drew attention over the weekend when the video appeared online showing her walking in a historic village north of the capital, Riyadh, wearing a miniskirt and crop top, and showing her hair.Saudi rules require all women living in the kingdom, including foreigners, to wear long, loose robes known as abayas in public. Most Saudi women also wear a headscarf and veil that covers the face.A statement released by the Center for International Communication said police released the woman, who was not named. It says she was released Tuesday evening after a few hours of questioning and that she told investigators that the video posted on social media was published without her knowledge."She was released without charge and the case has been closed by the prosecutor," the statement said.It is common in Saudi Arabia to see heavily blurred or pixelated images of women's faces on billboards and storefronts — in stark contrast to the many towering images of senior male royals displayed across the country.Despite such government controls, more than half of Saudi Arabia's population is under 25 and many are active on social media where they can access the internet and bypass government censors. Twitter is wildly popular among Saudis as a place to vent frustrations and gauge public opinion.Conservatives and others angered by the video took to Twitter , writing that she violated rules and should be arrested to set an example. Others rushed to her defence , questioning why the video had sparked such outrage when violations that affect human rights, for example, have not led to similarly fierce internal debate.___Follow Aya Batrawy on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ayaelb-Aya Batrawy, The Associated Press.
Defaced Qur'an, hateful note sent to Quebec City mosque where January shootings occurred-[CBC]-YAHOONEWS-July 19, 2017
Muslims in Quebec City are expressing new concern after a package containing a defaced Qur'an and a note suggesting they use a hog farm for their cemetery was delivered to the mosque where six men were shot and killed in January.The anonymous package arrived at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City via Canada Post on Friday, two days before residents in nearby Saint-Apollinaire voted in a referendum on a Muslim cemetery in their town.Quebec City police's major crimes unit are now working to determine who sent the package and whether charges should be laid.News of the package was revealed at a meeting at the mosque Tuesday night to discuss the referendum result, in which eligible residents voted against allowing the cemetery.Mohamed Labidi, head of the mosque's board of directors, said the board decided to keep quiet about the package until the referendum was completed because they didn't want to interfere in the vote.The response was one of shock, he said."There was silence because [everybody] inside was upset. They thought to themselves 'Again? Again?," Labidi told CBC News.Montreal Imam Hassan Guillet said the Quebec mosque has become a symbol, a kind of "Mecca" for Canadian Muslims since the shootings in January."We wouldn't expect anybody to dare to come in and attack this symbol for us again," he said.-This latest incident has people afraid, he said, and many are saying they need a guard at the mosque 24 hours a day, seven days a week."We seem to be living in a state of siege and we don't want that," he said.The package, he believes, was meant to provoke Muslims and influence the referendum vote."It was a Machiavellian attempt to excite Muslims just before the referendum, thinking that Muslims will overreact," he said."They [wanted to] use the reaction, or bad reaction, to fuel the hate and the fear of the citizens of Saint-Apollinaire."A similar incident occurred at the mosque in June 2016, seven months before the shootings occurred.In that incident, the severed head of a pig with a note saying "Bon appétit" was left at the mosque.The consumption of pork is prohibited in the Muslim faith.Guillet said the Muslim community is doing what it can to build bridges, but "clearly there are people who don't want that."He said Muslims need the "silent majority" of Canadians who oppose such acts of hatred to speak out."It's about time this silent majority becomes a vocal majority to make sure that our voice is heard and to isolate these racists and Islamophobes and these people who want to destroy our culture and our values as Quebecers and Canadians," he said.-A 'repulsive' act-Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard called the package that was sent to the mosque "unacceptable" and "repulsive" during a news conference in Edmonton, where he's attending a meeting of Canada's premiers.He said the act was "not unique to Quebec" and it doesn't reflect the true attitude of most Quebecers."The true attitude, we saw it after the [January] attack, when thousands of people from Quebec City were in the street claiming their friendship and affection for their Muslim neighbours — that's the true reality of Quebec," he said. "There's no room for this in a free and democratic society," he added.Asked if such an act would cause his government to reconsider its Bill 62, which would ban face-covering religious garments in Quebec's public service, Couillard said no."On the contrary, we have to advance on this question and clarify it," he said."We remain convinced that we way in which we determine [religious] accommodation must be reasonable, it must be given a legal framework and public services must be delivered with the face uncovered — I believe that's the consensus in our society, and that includes the Muslim community."
Enhanced security begins today for U.S.-bound flights-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-July 19, 2017
TORONTO — Flying to the United States may take a while longer as of today due to enhanced security measures affecting flights to the U.S.Both Air Canada and WestJet are advising passengers to arrive at airports at least two hours prior to scheduled departures to allow for additional screening.Air Canada says in an advisory that heightened security introduced by the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security beginning today requires enhanced screening of personal electronic devices such as tablets and laptops.In addition, all personal electronic devices larger than a smartphone will need to be easily accessible and have all cases and covers removed.WestJet has posted similar advice, adding the recommendation applies to all flights departing Canada.The Dept. of Homeland Security said last month that "in light of evaluated intelligence," it was deemed necessary to implement enhanced security measures for all commercial flights to the United States.It said these measures would include enhanced overall passenger screening, increased security around aircraft and in passenger areas, the use of advanced technology, and expanded canine screening."The United States and the global aviation community face an adaptive and agile enemy," said the DHS on its website."Terrorist groups continue to target passenger aircraft, and we have seen a spider web of threats to commercial aviation as terrorist pursue new attack methods."The Canadian Press.
Iran's president says his country will 'stand up to' US-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-July 19, 2017
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran's president said Wednesday that it will stand up to the United States and reciprocate for any new sanctions that Washington imposes on the Islamic republic.Hassan Rouhani's remarks came a day after the Trump administration announced new, non-nuclear sanctions while at the same time warning Tehran that it would face consequences for breaching "the spirit" of the nuclear deal with world powers.The new sanctions, perceived as the latest attempt to clamp down on Iran's military financing, target 18 Iranian individuals and groups, ranging from an Iran-based company accused of aiding the country's drone program to a Turkey-based provider of naval equipment and a China-based network that helped secure electronics for Tehran.If Washington, under any pretext, imposes new sanctions against Iran, "we will stand up to the United States," Rouhani said, adding that the "great nation of Iran will have an appropriate answer" and that the Iranian parliament will also act.He did not elaborate. His speech, at a weekly Cabinet meeting, was broadcast on state TV.Rouhani, a 68-year-old cleric and political moderate who secured a resounding re-election over a hard-line opponent in May, has been increasingly outspoken against the U.S., calling relations with Washington "a curvy road" even as he touts the 2015 nuclear accord.The Trump administration on Monday confirmed that Iran had met its obligations under the nuclear deal but warned it would face consequences for breaching "the spirit" of the accord — a reference to Iran's continued pursued of a ballistic missile program.Rouhani speculated that such statements seek to dissuade Iran from continuing to comply with the nuclear deal. The International Atomic Energy Agency has verified that Iran has lived up to its nuclear commitments."This plot will never succeed," he added. "We will always remain loyal to our international commitments."Iran's Foreign Ministry in a statement Tuesday condemned the latest U.S. sanctions, calling them "mean and pointless," and said it will retaliate with sanctions on more Americans. Iran in April and May imposed reciprocal sanctions on dozens of American companies and individuals, alleging they support terrorism and repression against people in the region such as the Palestinians.Later on Wednesday, Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, head of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard, warned the U.S. against imposing sanctions on the paramilitary group. He said the Guard's missile program is not negotiable and hinted that new sanctions could put U.S. military bases in the region in danger."If the U.S. intends to pursue sanctions on the Guard, it should first disassemble its military bases within 1,000 kilometres , or 620 miles," Jafari was quoted as saying by state TV, apparently referring to the range of Iranian missiles.Nasser Karimi, The Associated Press.
Israel's struggle to integrate ultra-Orthodox and Arabs raises economic fears-[Reuters]-By Tova Cohen and Steven Scheer-YAHOONEWS-July 19, 2017
BNEI BRAK, Israel (Reuters) - Chaim Rachmani spends his days studying Jewish religious texts in the Israeli town of Bnei Brak, whose crowded streets brush up against the office towers of Tel Aviv. He has no plans to look for work - ever.While dressed in a pinstriped business suit, Rachmani is among half of all ultra-Orthodox Israeli men with no job. This trend in a rapidly growing community - along with employment problems among the Arab minority - is raising concerns about the long-term health of an economy now in the midst of a boom."My intention is to study for the rest of my life. I do it because I love it," said 25-year-old Rachmani. "When you are taught from a young age to learn, you like it and don't want to stop."He feels no need to venture beyond the walls of his yeshiva, an Orthodox Jewish seminary, to seek paid work. Rachmani's new bride supports him with her entry level computer job at Intel Corp, while he receives a $500 monthly stipend from the state and donations for learning Talmud.While Rachmani was born in Miami, he graduated from Maoz Hatorah, a school in Bnei Brak for boys aged 3-15. It teaches some reading and writing in Hebrew and basic arithmetic, but most of the day is devoted to religious studies.Therein lies a major problem for economic planners. Thanks to their large families, ultra-Orthodox Israelis are forecast to become a third of the population by 2065, up from 11 percent now. But while female employment levels are in line with Israeli society, many of the men lack the skills needed to power a modern, first world economy - if they want to work at all.Israel's high-tech sector, which employs 9 percent of workers, is booming. Venture capital investment as a percentage of gross domestic product is the highest in the world, and growth is among the strongest of the developed economies.But the overall figures mask divisions that, while also affecting less religiously observant and secular Israelis, particularly touch the ultra-Orthodox and Arab communities.Poverty rates are higher than in all other developed countries, and income inequality is second only to the United States within the OECD, a club for wealthier nations. Just 20 percent of the population pays 90 percent of income tax.Bank of Israel Governor Karnit Flug is worried. "This is an impossible situation. If we want to become a cohesive society, without unacceptable social gaps in levels, we will need to change the situation of a dual economy, which exists today, to that of a single economy," she said."The path to get there passes through inclusive growth," she told a recent conference, referring to getting all social groups engaged in the workplace.-FIRST WORLD ARMY-Economists say Israel must change its priorities by investing in infrastructure, strengthening the education system and integrating the ultra-Orthodox and the Arab population - who make up 21 percent of Israelis - into the workforce.Failure could eventually threaten the very existence of Israel, according to experts, who say creating wealth is vital for funding strong armed forces in a country that has fought several wars with Arab neighbors since 1948."Already today, half of the nation's children receive a third-world education and these are children belonging to Israel's fastest-growing population groups," said Tel Aviv University economist Dan Ben-David, founder of the Shoresh Institution for Socioeconomic Research."Children who receive third-world educations will only be capable of sustaining a third-world economy. But a third-world economy will not be able to maintain the first-world army that Israel needs in order to survive."-POST-HOLOCAUST REVIVAL-In the 1980s, 63 percent of ultra-Orthodox Israeli men worked but as the community grew, it decided to rebuild the world of yeshivas that was destroyed in Europe in the Holocaust. The policy of paying yeshiva students a stipend solidified this trend, taking the level down to 51 percent now.According to the Haredi Institute for Public Affairs, which researches ultra-Orthodox, or Haredi, society, the government won't achieve its 2020 target of getting the proportion of working men back to 63 percent.The community is content with the status quo. "We need a few generations of this," said Rabbi Assaf Avitan, founder and principal of the school that Rachmani attended in Bnei Brak. "In the future there may be more of a balance."In the meantime Avitan, who studied until he was 35, believes his pupils are well prepared to work should they so choose. "If you learn Torah you can get by in everything," he said.The government sponsors special segregated courses to prepare religious men for continuing their secular education. It also offers courses to Haredi women - many of whom have low-paying teaching jobs - to enable them to work in computers, graphics and occupational therapy.In the sizeable U.S. Haredi community, a quarter of adults get a university degree, compared with just 12.1 percent in Israel, Ben-David says.While nearly 22 percent of the Israeli population is under the poverty line, that figure is 52 percent for the ultra-Orthodox, although their expenses are modest for a community where wives are the main family breadwinners."It's not the government's business who is a family's primary provider and who is secondary," said Eli Paley, founder of the Haredi Institute and owner of Haredi media group Mishpacha, which employs mainly women.Nearly three-quarters of ultra-Orthodox women work, identical to the general population, but their average monthly salary of 6,170 shekels ($1,736) is below the 9,309 average of other Jewish women. Many work only part time.Such data is hardly front and center when politicians tout economic statistics that have been among the best in the West.Boosted by high-tech, Israel's economy grew 4 percent in 2016 and is forecast to grow 3.5 percent this year. Unemployment is at a historic low of 4.5 percent, yet 70 percent of workers earn less than an average salary of 10,000 shekels a month.-ARAB INTEGRATION-Israeli Arabs, like Haredim, have low pay and high jobless rates, though for different reasons. "If you want the Arabs to be integrated in the economy, we need more spending," said Johnny Gal, a researcher at the Taub Center for Social Policy Studies.According to the Bank of Israel, 60 percent of Arab men work, many in construction, earning half of what Jewish men make. Just 25 percent of Arab women work, while 55 percent of Israeli Arabs live below the poverty line.The problem is particularly acute among the 260,000 Bedouin scattered throughout the southern Negev desert, who have had difficulties giving up generations of nomadic living.Salma el Atrash, a father of 10, said many of his village's 150 children do not attend high school because the nearest is too far away. "The most impoverished villages in Israel are the Bedouin villages," he said. "The root of the problem is first and foremost education ... the state does not invest enough in education."Talal al-Krenawi, mayor of Rahat, the largest Bedouin town, said that if the government wants his people to contribute to economic growth it needs to invest in planning the villages and integrating the population in the workforce.Finance Ministry chief economist Yoel Naveh said state spending on Arab education has increased over the past decade. It has been easier to engage the Arabs than the ultra-Orthodox community, which is a more closed society, and changes to education require political will, he said.There are also broader problems in the education system. The average number of years of schooling is high compared with other countries but the quality is low, experts say, and teachers' pay needs to be raised to attract more skilled people.Israel built seven top-notch research universities in its first few decades, but none since the 1970s though the population has more than doubled. Instead, non-research colleges have become the preferred policy direction, Ben-David said.Labour productivity is now below that of most OECD countries and the disparity between what an employed person can attain in Israel and other countries is widening.If this is not corrected, Israel could suffer an exodus of educated people "to reach a magnitude that may become irreversible", Ben-David warned."I don't think we will crash and burn. I think we will fix it," he said. "But we are running out of time."(Additional reporting by Elana Ringler in Jerusalem; editing by David Stamp)
In camps and ruins, Mosul civilians' ordeal is far from over-[Reuters]-By Angus MacSwan-YAHOONEWS-July 19, 2017
MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - The battle for Mosul is all but over after nine months of devastating urban warfare between government forces and Islamic State militants, but Iraqi civilians are suffering in a humanitarian crisis of monumental scale.More than one million people fled their homes in Mosul and nearby villages since the fighting started. Most of them are packed into camps in the countryside or have found shelter elsewhere.Those who ventured back to Mosul found wrecked houses, destroyed schools and hospitals, and water and power shortages, alongside the threat of gunfire and booby-traps.Whole neighborhoods of Iraq's second city are reduced to the crumpled ruins of what were once homes and businesses -– much of the destruction due to air strikes and artillery by the U.S.-led coalition. Charred wrecks of cars litter the streets."The end of the battle for Mosul isn't the end of the ordeal for civilians. The humanitarian situation not only remains grave, but could worsen," the Norwegian Refugee Council, one of many international organizations and governments helping the relief and rehabilitation effort, said in a statement.Overcoming the crisis is crucial to Iraq's political future as it struggles to build stability, overcome sectarian rivalry, and emerge from grinding conflict since the 2003 U.S. invasion.At the Al Salamiya refugee camp on the parched Plain of Ninevah, nearly 2,000 families live in tents. While happy to be safe from the ravages of Islamic State, who subjected Mosul to harsh rule for nearly three years, they are frustrated and worried about their future.-"THERE IS NOTHING FOR US"-Muhamad Jasim, 44, was a laborer but fled with his wife and children from al-Kasik district six weeks ago in the final phases of the battle to recapture the city from Islamic State."Under Daesh (IS) it was very bad, no work, suffering, and they were very angry. We left behind a lot -- car, house," he said. "I was afraid for my kids. I had to leave."Sitting cross-legged in his tent, he complained forcefully. "We do not have money to buy things. There is nothing for us but to sit here. We don't have enough food, we have to spend what money we have on vegetables, ice. The monthly food ration is not enough." When did he think he might go home? "I have no idea."The Salamiya camp, mostly housing people from West Mosul and nearby villages, opened in late May under the auspices of the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) and the Iraqi government.It seems to be well-organized and well-supplied. There is a school and a clinic. Water supplies had been a problem but now a pipeline has been laid from Salamiya town. Residents are from all walks of life, from farmers to shop-keepers.As camp manager Ali Saleh of the French agency ACTED walked down the main street, people approached him asking for jobs, help with finding a tent for relatives, or other problems."It is not easy. They are frustrated. This is the beginning. We'll see in a couple of months," he said.-FEVER, INFECTIONS-Stalls and shops have sprung up selling nuts and pastries, fruit and vegetables, and household items. Although they are against the rules, the management is permitting them."A lot of people worked for a living before this and now they need financial support. If we close the shops, they will have nothing," Saleh said.At the clinic, Dr. Ahmed Yunis said ailments included fever, diarrhea, parasite infections and stomach pains. There were 300 consultations a morning, and from 15 to 100 in the evening.Asked if they had supplies and equipment, he said: "Right now we don't have any problems. We don't know about the future."More than 300 women in the camp have lost their husbands and are acting as head of household. Some children are without parents, though most of these were taken in by relatives or other families in keeping with Arab tradition.Several thousand people are without documents, such as national ID cards and birth and marriage certificates."Either Daesh did not issue documents or issued invalid ones. Others fled without documents," said Nicolo Chiesa of Terre des Hommes Italy, who was working with local court officials to register people and reissue new papers.Only 23 families have so far returned to Mosul from the camp. One of them came back, deputy manager Razhan Dler said."They said there was nothing for them in Mosul."-MOONSCAPE MOSUL-Life in parts of Mosul is returning to normal, especially in the east, which was recaptured in January. Shops and markets are open but destruction left some areas looking like a moonscape.Sporadic fighting still takes place as the last few ISIS fighters hold out in small pockets.UNICEF delivers water to half a million people a day, including 3.3 million liters in and around East and West Mosul.The city's main hospital is a total ruin. The principal hospital serving West Mosul has returned to daily operations.It deals with fewer war-related injuries but still gets several a day, Dr Abdulmohsen Mohammud said. "Now we are getting a lot of dehydrated kids, children with malnutrition," he said.Maternity cases are also a challenge. In the past two weeks they had 50 caeserean and 102 normal births.UNICEF said that as fighting subsided, vulnerable unaccompanied children arrived at medical facilities and reception areas. Some babies were found in the debris."Children's deep physical and mental scars will take time to heal," it said in a statement. "Some 650,000 boys and girls, who have lived through the nightmare ... paid a terrible price."The World Food Programme said thousands of families needed emergency food assistance to survive. The government and the international community must begin rebuilding Mosul and restore basic services immediately as tens of thousands of people were likely to return soon, aid organizations said."The Mosul victory is definitely the beginning of a new era in Iraq. We hope this new era will be an era of reconciliation and reconstruction," the European Union ambassador to Iraq, Patrick Simonnet, told Reuters as he visited West Mosul.-EXPLOSIVES AWARENESS CLASSES-Protection of civilians was a priority, he said, including avoiding collective punishment of suspected IS sympathizers. The government must investigate reports of revenge attacks and re-establish the rule of law, he said.He said it was important for the EU and other governments and international agencies to remain committed to rebuilding Mosul for the next two to three years. "There's a cost -– an important cost in our view -– of not doing anything."Only national reconciliation and political reform could address the root causes of Islamic State, he said.In one optimistic sign, many schools have reopened, among them the Kadiz Abdulajad School in West Mosul, near the Old City where fierce fighting took place in the battle's final stages.Among the lessons, as well as reading, writing and maths, they are given classes on mine and explosives awareness.(Reporting by Angus MacSwan; Editing by Peter Millership)
North Korea conducts public executions for theft, watching South Korea media: report-[Reuters]-By Christine Kim-YAHOONEWS-July 19, 2017
SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea carries out public executions on river banks and at school grounds and marketplaces for charges such as stealing copper from factory machines, distributing media from South Korea and prostitution, a report issued on Wednesday said.The report, by a Seoul-based non-government group, said the often extra-judicial decisions for public executions are frequently influenced by "bad" family background or a government campaign to discourage certain behavior.The Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG) said its report was based on interviews with 375 North Korean defectors from the isolated state over a period of two years.Reuters could not independently verify the testimony of defectors in the report. The TJWG is made up of human rights activists and researchers and is led by Lee Younghwan, who has worked as an advocate for human rights in North Korea.It receives most of its funding from the U.S.-based National Endowment for Democracy, which in turn is funded by the U.S. Congress.The TJWG report aims to document the locations of public killings and mass burials, which it says had not been done previously, to support an international push to hold to account those who commit what it describes as crimes against humanity."The maps and the accompanying testimonies create a picture of the scale of the abuses that have taken place over decades," the group said.North Korea rejects charges of human rights abuses, saying its citizens enjoy protection under the constitution and accuses the United States of being the world's worst rights violator.However, the North has faced an unprecedented push to hold the regime and its leader, Kim Jong Un, accountable for a wide range of rights abuses since a landmark 2014 report by a United Nations commission.U.N. member countries urged the Security Council in 2014 to consider referring North Korea and its leader to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity, as alleged in a Commission of Inquiry report.The commission detailed abuses including large prison camps, systematic torture, starvation and executions comparable to Nazi-era atrocities, and linked the activities to the North's leadership.North Korea has rejected that inquiry's findings and the push to bring the North to a tribunal remains stalled due in part to objections by China and Russia, which hold veto powers at the U.N. Security Council.TJWG said its project to map the locations of mass graves and executions has the potential to contribute to documentation that could back the push for accountability and future efforts to bring the North to justice.It said executions are carried out in prison camps to incite fear and intimidation among potential escapees, and public executions are carried out for seemingly minor crimes, including the theft of farm produce such as corn and rice.Stealing electric cables and other commodities from factories to sell them and distribution of South Korean-produced media are also subject to executions, which are most commonly administered by shooting, it said.Testimonies also showed people can be beaten to death, with one interviewee saying: "Some crimes were considered not worth wasting bullets on."Government officials were executed on corruption and espionage charges, and bureaucrats from other regions would be made to watch "as a deterrence tactic", the report said.Defectors from the North have previously testified to having witnessed public executions and rights abuses at detention facilities.(Reporting by Christine Kim; Editing by Paul Tait)
