Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

Witnesses Report Onset of Chemical Warfare in Syria
Mar 19th, 2013
Daily Newsdebkafile
Categories: Today's Headlines;Warning

Extensive preparations by Syrian army units for launching chemical weapons against rebel forces have been sighted in the northern town of Homs, Western intelligence agencies told debkafile’s military sources Tuesday, March 19.

Damascus paved the way for resorting to unconventional weaponry with an accusation run by the state news agency SANA Tuesday that Syrian rebels had fired a rocket containing chemical substances in the Khan al-Assad area of rural Aleppo, allegedly killing 15 people, mostly civilians.

Rebels quickly denied the report and accused regime forces of “firing a chemical weapon on a long-range SCUD, after which 20 people died of asphyxia and poisoning.”

Neither of the accusations could immediately verified.

But a Reuters photographer said he had seen people come into two Aleppo hospitals with breathing problems after the attack. They claimed people were suffocating on the streets.

Western intelligence sources reckoned that for the Assad regime, Homs, the scene of fierce battles between government and rebel forces in recent days, is likely to be the first place where the Assad government resorts to chemical warfare. A rebel victory there would be a grave setback for the regime because it would sever the main highway linking the Syrian military forces fighting in the towns of Damascus, Latakia, Aleppo and Idlib.

Monday and Tuesday, therefore, heavy government reinforcements from the South and Damascus were piled onto the embattled town, along with large numbers of warplanes and attack helicopters, in an all-out effort to cut short the rebel advance.

debkafile’s military sources report that the importance Assad attaches to carrying the day in Homs is represented by the elite units he has assembled in and around the city: Heavy armored forces of the 4th and 5th Republican Guard Divisions were imported from Damascus and the 18th and 19th Divisions are there too, issued in the last few hours with chemical warfare gear.

Syrian ruler Bashar Assad can on no account afford to be defeated in the key town of Homs just when US President Barack Obama is scheduled to arrive in the Middle East Wednesday. He will therefore use whatever it takes to prevent this happening, even chemical weapons if they are the only answer.
The allegation that the rebels have resorted to chemical warfare strongly points to an Assad ploy to go there himself and maintain it was only after the opposition went first.
The emergence of dread unconventional weapons on the Syrian battlefield during the US president’s stay in the region is bound to dominate his talks with its leaders. It may even have the effect of altering his schedule and affect his itinerary.

Luis Palau: New Pope Francis a Friend of Evangelicals
Mar 19th, 2013
Daily NewsThe Christian post
Categories: Today's Headlines;One World Church

Evangelist Luis Palau, who knows and has prayed together with Pope Francis on several occasions, called the new leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics a friend of evangelicals who is respectful of all sides of Christianity.

"I exploded," Palau told oregonlive.com, of his reaction after his son, Kevin Palau, president of the Luis Palau Association, shared the news that Jorge Mario Bergoglio, archbishop of Buenos Aires, was elected pope this week. "I just couldn't believe it. In the last election, he was in the running but he told me he felt led by God to remove himself from the race. I said, 'Maybe next time,' and he said, 'I'll be too old.'"

The fiery preacher who some have called the "Latin Billy Graham," said whenever they prayed together, Bergoglio asked him to "lay your hands on me and pray for me, that God will keep me as servant." The new pope is respectful of all sides of Christianity, Palau said, adding the press referred to him as the "evangelical pope" in 2008.

Bergoglio, 76, was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1936. His father was an Italian immigrant. He's the first pope from South America, and also the first Jesuit pope. Palau was also born in Argentina, and moved to Portland, Ore., in his mid-20s to enroll in a graduate program in Biblical studies.

"I've met him several times, gone to his place, we've talked, we've prayed together you know. He builds bridges to other Christian groups, like evangelical Christians, which is a high percentage in Latin America. He's a friend. He's a real friend," Palau, 78, told kgw.com.

In Buenos Aires, the Rev. Dr. Norberto Saracco, a prominent evangelical leader in Argentina, affirmed that Pope Francis is "known for having very good relationships with evangelicals and with leaders of other faiths, in addition to being a man of prayer and a supporter of the Bible Society," the Rev. Dr. Geoff Tunnicliffe, secretary general of the Wold Evangelical Alliance, said in statement to congratulate Francis.

Let the Headlines Speak
Mar 19th, 2013
Daily NewsFrom the Internet
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Empire State counties, towns revolt against Cuomo gun ban
One by one, counties and towns across New York State are launching resolutions denouncing the state’s new gun ban, the New York Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act of 2013, as egregious and unconstitutional. “The issue boils down to property rights,” said Hempel, who is also a Clermont Town Board member. “What right does the government have to tell citizens what they can or cannot purchase?” he asked.

Israel's Netanyahu says new government wants peace
Israel's prime minister said Monday that his new government was extending its hand in peace to the Palestinians, declaring that he is ready to make a "historic compromise" if they return to the negotiating table with good will.

Even If Your Child is a Homosexual
It is either right to maintain the man-woman definition of our most important social institution, or is it not. We cannot base our decision on compassion for gays, whether the gay is our child, our sibling, our friend or anyone else.

Pope Francis urges protection of nature, weak
Francis was interrupted by applause several times during his homily, including when he spoke of the need to protect the environment, serve one another with love and not allow "omens of destruction," hatred, envy and pride to "defile our lives." Francis said the role of the pope is to open his arms and protect all of humanity..

Fireball seen gliding across the Carolina skies Saturday night
CLEVELAND COUNTY, N.C. – There are several reports from Saturday night of a meteor gliding across the Carolina skies. Eyewitnesses reported seeing a large bolide meteor that split into several pieces. First Warn Storm Spotter Stuart McDaniel caught it all on his sky camera.

Nations gather for final U.N. arms trade treaty negotiations
Negotiators from around 150 countries gathered in New York on Monday for a final push to hammer out a binding international treaty to end unregulated conventional arms sales, a pact that a powerful U.S. pro-gun lobby is urging Washington to reject.

Astronomers gearing up for possible 'comet of the century'
Astronomers are already getting set for the arrival of Comet ISON, which may become one of the brightest comets ever seen when it cruises through the inner solar system this fall.

Former NASA Contractor Arrested at Dulles Airport
A former NASA contractor was arrested March 16 by the FBI at Dulles International Airport outside Washington while trying to catch a flight to his native China, U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) announced during a March 18 press conference here.

Russian Lenders Face Billions in Losses Due to Cypriot Levy
The proposal by the Cypriot authorities to introduce a levy on the country's bank deposits as part of a plan to bail out its economy drew harsh criticism from Moscow on Monday, with the largest Russian lenders facing multibillion-dollar losses as a result of the measure.

Obama-Satan Resemblance on ‘The Bible’ Fuels Social Media Firestorm
Cable television’s History Channel miniseries “The Bible” has created a social media firestorm in the United States after viewers of Sunday night’s episode took to Facebook and Twitter noticing an uncanny resemblance between the character Satan and US President Barack Obama.

B-52 bombers in Korea show U.S. defense commitment: Pentagon
"This mission highlights the extended deterrence and conventional capabilities of the B-52 Stratofortress while participating in exercises such as Foal Eagle," Pentagon spokesman George Little told reporters. Foal Eagle, an annual joint exercise, began on March 1 for a two-month run. South Korea and the U.S. are staging another joint military drill, Key Resolve.

Drug-resistant pandemic swine flu 'community risk'
Australian experts are concerned about the threat of a new type of drug-resistant pandemic flu that is circulating in the population at large. The swine flu strain has learned how to dodge the antiviral Tamiflu and, though rare, is emerging outside of hospitals. The team who have studied it say the virus is "fitter" than other drug-resistant strains and the world should be on alert for outbreaks.

Cyprus considers zero tax on smaller bank deposits
The Cyprus finance ministry suggests savers holding less than 20,000 euros (£17,000) would be exempt from a bank levy which has caused much alarm. The plan was changed following outrage that ordinary savers would be forced to pay a levy of 6.75%. The new plan would keep that levy on deposits over 20,000 euros, with those over 100,000 euros charged at 9.9%.

Rains cause deadly landslides in Petropolis, Brazil
At least 16 people have been killed in landslides in a mountainous area north of Rio de Janeiro, after heavy rains. The landslides hit the city of Petropolis, about 40 miles (65km) north of Rio, after a river burst its banks and flooded the city centre. A baby and two emergency workers are among the victims, authorities say.

Obama Nowruz message: Iran must 'reduce nuclear tension'
US President Barack Obama has offered Iran a "practical solution" if it truly seeks peaceful nuclear capabilities rather than weapons. In a video to the Iranian people, Mr Obama urged Iran to take "immediate and meaningful steps" to reduce tension with the international community. He said Iranians had paid a "high and unnecessary price" for Tehran's "unwillingness" to satisfy concerns.

EU defiant over €5.8bn raid on Cypriot savings
EU officials remained defiant on controversial plans for a Cypriot bailout on Monday (18 March), the most tumultuous day for the euro so far in 2013. Following an emergency conference call of eurozone finance ministers on Monday evening, the Eurogroup refused to backtrack on a deal which includes a one-off raid worth €5.8 billion on deposits held in Cyprus' stricken banks.

Abdullah: Relations with Netanyahu 'very strong'
Jordanian King Abdullah in a series of exclusive interviews with American magazine The Atlantic said that his relationship with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is "very strong," and that their discussions "have really improved." The interview follows media reports that surfaced at the beginning of March quoting sources as saying Netanyahu and Abdullah met in Jordan.

Syria state media: Rebels used chemical weapons, killing 15
Syria's state news agency accused rebels on Tuesday of using chemical weapons in an attack in the northern province of Aleppo which it said killed 15 people. "Terrorists fired a rocket containing chemical substances in the Khan al-Assal area of rural Aleppo and initial reports indicate that around 15 people were killed, most of them civilians," SANA news agency said.