Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

Syrian Army and Hizballah Capture Homs - Opening Way to Aleppo and Decisive Assad Victory
Jul 29th, 2013
Daily Newsdebkafile
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Three months after winning the strategic town of Al Qusayr, the combined Syrian and Hizballah armies have captured the historic Muslim Brotherhood city of Homs, 162 kilometers northeast of the capital Damascus. debkafile’s military and intelligence sources report that Sunday, July 28, jeeps with recoilless guns, pick-up trucks with anti air guns - all loaded with defeated rebel Farouq Brigades fighters were to be seen fleeing the city. As they fled, Syrian and Hizballah army tanks facing no resistance rolled into the center of Homs, the old city and the Khladiyeh district and hoisted images of President Bashar Assad.

The fall of Homs, which the rebels designated from the start of the uprising “capital of the revolution,” opens the way for Syrian-Hizballah forces to move north on Aleppo, Syria’s largest city.

Aleppo’s capture would grant Assad a decisive victory in the civil war and confer on the Lebanese Shiite terrorist Hizballah for the first time the standing of an armed force with strategic capabilities, as well as giving the Iran-Syrian-Hizballah alliance a major boost.
Early Monday, Syrian ground-to-ground missiles were pounding rebel fortifications Aleppo to soften their resistance, while Syrian air force helicopters struck Kurdish PYG units ranged along the Syrian-Turkish border. Although the helicopters flew over the frontier, they did not run into any interference from the Turkish air force, its artillery emplacements or the NATO Patriot anti-missile batteries deployed there.

The Kurdish units were targeted to prevent them moving into Aleppo in defense of the city’s Kurdish quarters against the Syrian army-Hizballah advance.
After the fall of Homs and the fast approaching Syrian assault on Aleppo, Washington, Jerusalem and Ankara have run out of time for quibbling whether to step into the Syrian conflict. The critical decision facing them now is whether to save Aleppo from a savage Syrian army-Hizballah onslaught that will determine the final fate of the war, or continue to stand aside.

The various tactics outlined by top US soldier Gen. Martin Dempsey last week for US military intervention at a cost of $1 billion per day have been overtaken by events. The Obama administration must now decide very quickly whether Assad and his Russian and Iranian backers should be allowed to win the Syrian civil war or stopped at Aleppo.

Netanyahu Said: Freeing Terrorists Strengthens Terror
Jul 29th, 2013
Daily NewsINN - Gil Ronen
Categories: The Nation Of Israel;Contemporary Issues

"The government decided to release terrorists and I ask, why? In return for what? What have we received? This crossing of a line, of releasing murderers, is dangerous in the struggle against terror."

These words were spoken just five years ago, when the Kadima government released 200 terrorists as a “gesture” to Mahmoud Abbas. Only two of those had blood on their hands.

Then-Opposition Head Netanyahu said at the time that contrary to the government's claim, the release of terrorists does not strengthen Mahmoud Abbas. “It weakens Israel and strengthens terror elements. Most of the public – a great part of the public – understands that this thing is unacceptable and reflects weakness and a loss of direction. The government has lost its direction – if it ever had a direction to begin with.”

"Instead of taking a tough stand against terror, the Kadima government continues to release hundreds of terrorists in return for nothing,” Netanyahu accused, adding: “The Likud government will replace Kadima's weakness with an aggressive and uncompromising policy toward terror.

Gideon Saar, who was Likud faction chairman, said at the time: “The government's decision crushes the public's trust, that murderers and terrorists are brought to justice, and it will harm the security of te citizens of Israel and the attempts to free Schalit.

"One can only imagine how this release of 200 terrorists, free of charge, will affect the level of demands that Hamas will make.”

Those words stand in sharp contrast to the PM's decision, which passed a cabinet vote, to free 104 convicted terrorists with "blood on their hands," as precisely the kind of gesture to the PA that Bibi so fiercely condemned only five years ago.

Saar, now Minister of Interior, voted in favor of the release of terror prisoners on Sunday and has defended the move.

The decision was passed with a majority of 13 ministers in favor, seven opponents and two who abstained.

Voting in favor of the decision, besides Netanyahu and Saar, were Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, Minister of Public Security Yitzhak Aharonovich, Minister for Strategic Affairs Yuval Steinitz, and Aliyah Minister Sofa Landver (Likud / Yisrael Beytenu); Finance Minister Yair Lapid, Education Minister Shai Piron, Health Minister Yael German, Science Minister Yaakov Perry and WelfareMinister Meir Cohen, (Yesh Atid); as well as Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, and Environment Minister Amir Peretz (Hatnua).

Voting against it were Transport Minister Yisrael Katz, Communications Minister Gilad Erdan, Tourism Minister Uzi Landau, and Agriculture Minister Yair Shamir, all (Likud / Yisrael Beytenu); as well as Economics Minister Naftaliu Bennett, Housing Minister Uri Ariel and Minister for Pensioners Uri Orbach, (Bayit Yehudi).

Energy Minister Silvan Shalom and Culture Minister Limor Livnat, both of Likud / Yisrael Beytenu, abstained. 

Shabak warning

Meanwhile, on Sunday Shin Bet head Yoram Cohen warned government ministers at the weekly Cabinet session Sunday against releasing terrorists as a “gesture” to the Palestinian Authority (PA).

Cohen explained that the release of terrorist prisoners would diminish security “both in the immediate threat to the public, and because of the erosion in deterrence.”

"The chance that the prisoners will go back to terrorism is relatively large,” he said. Experience shows that as the years pass from the terrorists' release, they tend to go back to the activity that landed them in jail, he added.

The move to free convicted terrorist murderers is deeply unpopular among the Israeli public, with polls showing that almost 85% oppose such a move.

Let the Headlines Speak
Jul 29th, 2013
Daily NewsFrom the Internet
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

With ‘heavy heart’ Israel set to free more terrorists
“From time to time, prime ministers are called on to make decisions that go against public opinion – when the matter is important for the country.” These were the words of the opening paragraph of Benjamin Netanyahu’s open letter to the Israeli public concerning the release of Palestinian terrorist prisoners as a precondition for resuming peace negotiations.  

China's coastguard confronts Japanese ships near disputed islands
The State Oceanic Administration that oversees the service says four of its ships "sternly declared" China's sovereignty over the islands called Senkaku by Japan and Diaoyu by China, and demanded they leave the area. The uninhabited archipelago is controlled by Tokyo but also claimed by Beijing.  

Broadcast giant 'dropping Limbaugh, Hannity'
In a story by Dylan Byers, the Politico says an industry source claims Cumulus is planning to let go of both Limbaugh and Hannity from its stations at the end of the year. The source indicated the broadcasting giant won’t renew its contracts with both popular voices, removing the two most highly rated conservative talkers from more than 40 Cumulus channels in major markets.  

SWAT teams new face of police agencies
while American armed forces may be limited in their ability to enforce the law, the act is essentially being circumvented by militarizing local enforcement, equipping it with some of the same equipment, training and tactics used in war zones. Radley Balko raised the issue recently a Wall Street Journal article, “Rise of the Warrior Cop.” He says the trend is to erase the line between military and law enforcement.  

Syrian army retakes Homs district from rebels
Assad's army gains come one month after it started an offensive in Homs as part of a drive to secure an axis linking Damascus to the Mediterranean.  

Israeli and Palestinian Teams Prepare to Relaunch Previously-Failed Peace Talks — But Will It Work This Time?
Israeli and Palestinian teams flew to Washington on Monday to end five years of diplomatic stalemate and prepare for a new round of Mideast peace talks, though optimism was in short supply after two decades of failed attempts to reach a deal.  

Lawmakers Who Upheld NSA Phone Spying Received Double the Defense Industry Cash
The numbers tell the story — in votes and dollars. On Wednesday, the House voted 217 to 205 not to rein in the NSA’s phone-spying dragnet. It turns out that those 217 “no” voters received twice as much campaign financing from the defense and intelligence industry as the 205 “yes” voters.  

Syria army 'retakes' key Homs district of Khalidiya
Syrian government forces have fully captured a district that was a key rebel stronghold in the central city of Homs, state media report. The Sana news agency said the military had "restored security and stability to the neighbourhood of Khalidiya". Activists reported clashes in Khalidiya on Monday morning, but said that most of the area was under army control.  

5.2 Earthquake Strikes Off of Fiji Islands
Sunday, July 28, a moderate 5.2 magnitude earthquake strike occurred 103 km NNW of Ceva-i-Ra, Fiji, according to the USGS. It happened at 16:29 UTC. The local date and time at the earthquake’s epicenter was: Monday, July 29, 2013 08:16:29.  

Earthquake in Vanuatu
There have been 11 earthquakes in the past week in Vanuatu, the largest being 6.1 in magnitude. In the past month there have been 11 quakes reaching 6.1of magnitude. In the past year they have been as strong as 6.7.  

7 killed in US drone strike in northwest Pakistan
Seven suspected militants were killed and three others wounded when a US drone fired two missiles at a compound in Pakistan's northwestern tribal region, triggering strong condemnation from Islamabad. The attack took place just before sunset yesterday in a village in Shawal area, some 50 kilometres west of Miranshah, the main town of restive North Waziristan, a stronghold of Taliban militants along the Afghan border.  

Spacecraft Sees Giant 'Hole' In the Sun
A space telescope aimed at the sun has spotted a gigantic hole in the solar atmosphere — a dark spot that covers nearly a quarter of our closest star, spewing solar material and gas into space.  

Tropical Storm Flossie to hit Hawaii Monday morning
People in Hawaii Sunday prepared for high winds and heavy rains from Tropical Storm Flossie, which forecasters said would strike Monday morning. National Weather Service forecasters said Flossie was likely to take about 12 hours as it moves over Hawaii Island and Maui, beginning about 6 a.m. Monday local time, then move on to Oahu from about 6 p.m. Monday through 5 a.m. Tuesday, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported.  

China orders audit of government debt
China has ordered a nationwide audit of all government debt, underlining fears that the recent slowdown in its economy may impact the financial sector. Local governments in China borrowed heavily after the global financial crisis to try to sustain growth rates. The last audit, published in 2011, showed they had debt of 10.7tn yuan ($1.7tn; £1.1tn) by the end of 2010.  

Japan's top diplomat heads for China, seeking better ties
Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Akitaka Saiki will visit China on Monday and Tuesday for talks with senior officials, the latest in a series of efforts by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to improve relations soured by a bitter territorial row.  

Wave of car bombings targets Iraqi Shi'ites, killing 44
Twelve car bombs exploded across Iraq early on Monday, killing at least 44 people in predominantly Shi'ite areas, police and medical sources said. At least 10 people were killed when two car bombs blew up near a bus station in the city of Kut, 150 kilometers (95 miles) southeast of the capital, police said.