Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

What Jews Endure on the Temple Mount
Apr 30th, 2014
Daily NewsIsrael Today
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel

When a group of easily identifiable religious Jews is actually allowed to ascend Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, the reaction of Muslim worshippers typically borders on open violence.

Jews (and Christians) are often prevented by Israeli police from entering the Temple Mount compound for fear of Muslim hostility. And even when groups are granted entry, most are not easily identifiable as Jews (most Orthodox Jews believe it is wrong to ascend the Temple Mount lest they inadvertently enter the area of the “Holy of Holies”).

But every once in a while, an Orthodox Jewish group will visit Judaism’s holiest site. And when they do, the Jews’ treatment at the hands of the adherents of the so-called “Religion of Peace” is simply disgraceful.

In the following video, one such group can be seen being harassed and even assaulted by a large Muslim mob, as Israeli police officers try desperately to maintain order. Among the group of Jewish visitors are a number of children, who are various points in the video can be seen crying and fearfully clinging to their parents.

One of the adults in the group tries to calm the children by saying, “Don’t be afraid! Don’t be afraid! This is our place!”

The incident was filmed and uploaded to YouTube by a Temple Mount movement headed by Linda Olmert, the sister-in-law of recently convicted former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Linda recently spoke to Israel Today about the situation for Jews on the Temple Mount.

Ezekiel prophecied of this very hour in Ezekiel 36:2,5, "Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because the enemy hath said against you, Aha, even the ancient high places are ours in possession........Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Surely in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the heathen, and against all Idumea, which have appointed my land into their possession with the joy of all their heart, with despiteful minds, to cast it out for a prey."

Western Sanctions Send Russia Into Recession
Apr 30th, 2014
Daily Newsdebkafile
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

The IMF head in Moscow Antonio Spilimbergo said Wednesday that international sanctions were damaging the Russian economy, which had shrunk in the first quarter of 2014, and was threatening investment. The fund, which cut Russia’s growth forecast for 2014 from 1.3 to 0.2 percent, said $100bn would leave the country this year due to the uncertain geopolitical situation.

Supreme Court Hears Case That Could Open Up Every American
Apr 30th, 2014
Daily NewsBusiness Insider
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

The Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in a huge privacy case that will determine whether the cops can search the digital contents of your cellphone without a warrant.

 The case involves a San Diego college student (and alleged gang member) named David Riley, who was pulled over in 2009 for having expired tags. Police seized Riley’s Samsung Instinct M800 and used a photo on it to charge him with participating in a drive-by shooting. He was ultimately convicted and sentenced to 15 years to life.

During arguments on Tuesday morning, Riley’s lawyer Jeffrey Fisher told the justices there are “very, very profound problems with searching a smartphone without a warrant.” He’s arguing for his client that such searches violate the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures.

Supreme Court Green Lights Detention of Americans
Apr 30th, 2014
Daily NewsWND
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

A decision from the U.S. Supreme Court means the federal government now has an open door to “detain as a threat to national security anyone viewed as a troublemaker,” critics of the high court’s ruling said.

The high court by its own order this week refused to review an appellate-level decision that says the president and U.S. military can arrest and indefinitely detain individuals.

Officials with William J. Olson, P.C., a firm that filed an amicus brief asking the court to step in, noted that not a single justice dissented from the denial of certiorari.

“The court ducked, having no appetite to confront both political parties in order to protect the citizens from military detention,” the legal team told WND. “The government has won, creating a tragic moment for the people – and what will someday be viewed as an embarrassment for the court.”

WND reported earlier when the indefinite detention provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act were adopted, then later challenged in court.

The controversial provision authorizes the military, under presidential authority, to arrest, kidnap, detain without trial and hold indefinitely American citizens thought to “represent an enduring security threat to the United States.”

Journalist Chris Hedges was among the plaintiffs charging the law could be used to target journalists who report on terror-related issues.

A friend-of-the-court brief submitted in the case stated: “The central question now before this court is whether the federal judiciary will stand idly by while Congress and the president establish the legal framework for the establishment of a police state and the subjugation of the American citizenry through the threat of indefinite military arrest

PLA Launches Emergency Drills Ahead of Possible Nk Nuclear Test
Apr 30th, 2014
Daily NewsChina Times
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Recent emergency drills carried out by the 39th Army Group of the People’s Liberation Army suggest that North Korea could be preparing to conduct a fourth nuclear test, reports the website of Hong Kong newspaper Ta Kung Pao.

According to China’s national broadcaster CCTV, troops from the 39th Army Group in the Shenyang Military Region deployed tanks, armed helicopters and combat-ready units in a live drill near the North Korean border on April 21 as part of an emergency training exercise.

South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo said the refinement of the PLA’s emergency dispatch during the exercise showed a dramatic increase in its reaction speed to critical situations.

The 39th Army took part in the Korean War and is said to be one of the primary response units of the PLA in the event of a crisis on the Korean peninsula.

One Nation Under Allah: the Islamization of American Public Schools
Apr 30th, 2014
Daily NewsBreitbart
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Endless concessions and accommodations to Islamic demands only give way to more demands for even more Islam, as shown in the recent blockbuster revelations of an Islamic takeover of UK public schools. What is less well known is the same kinds of things are happening here in the United States.

So outrageous were the allegations that the usually subdued and sharia-compliant British authorities initiated an investigation into the charges that devout Muslims covertly sought to “Islamize” the public schools in the UK. The bombshell was dropped last month in a leaked letter, describing an operation purportedly named “Trojan Horse.” According to Andrew Gilligan in The Telegraph, the jihad ringleader of the Trojan Horse plot constructed and implemented a “detailed blueprint for the radical ‘Islamisation’ of secular state schools.” The plot was so severe that a number of UK schools now face “special measures,” which is the British term for (at worst) closings and (at best) a takeover of the school administration.

The plot called for “girls [to] be covered except for their hands and faces,” gender segregation/apartheid for some school activities, and an Islamic curriculum. Mirroring the Muslim Brotherhood strategic goal for the U.S., which according to a captured internal document was to work toward “eliminating and destroying Western civilization from within, and sabotaging its miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers,” this plot also sought to use the system to destroy the system.

The plot was indeed undertaken. Non-Muslim headmasters and headmistresses were targeted for termination. Muslim parents were the foot soldiers. Muslim education officials were used to force schools that didn’t want to comply to fall into line with the “views and aspirations of Muslim parents and the local community.”

They succeeded. In one school, Christian students had to teach themselves religious education because the teacher was devoting all his time to Muslim students. One school, Park View, instituted forced and discriminatory gender apartheid, with “boys sitting towards the front of the class and girls at the back or around the sides.”

Let the Headlines Speak
Apr 30th, 2014
Daily NewsFrom the internet
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Is Kerry Backing Off Israel ‘Apartheid’ Comment
Secretary of State John Kerry apologized Monday night for saying Israel could become an “apartheid state” if it doesn’t reach a peace deal with the Palestinians, saying if he “could rewind the tape, I would have chosen a different word,” even as he defiantly lashed out at critics who pounced on the incendiary remark.  

Small Earthquake Recorded Near Enid
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a 3.1 magnitude earthquake was recorded at 2:48 a.m. Its epicenter was located 13 miles north, northeast of Enid, 39 miles west, southwest of Ponca City, 50 miles northwest of Stillwater, and 76 miles north of Oklahoma City.  

Hate Speech: U.K. Political Leader Arrested for Quoting Winston Churchill
In a shocking application of hate-speech law, Paul Weston (shown), co-founder and leader of the Liberty GB party and candidate for member of the European Parliament, was arrested on Saturday and now faces a possible two years in prison. His crime? He quoted one of the 20th century’s most famous Englishmen, that WWII hero Churchill.  

Internet “Governance” Summit in Brazil Advances UN Control
Under the guise of advancing “global governance” over the Internet by so-called stakeholders — including, of course, governments, autocrats, and international organizations such as the United Nations — the radical Brazilian government brought together key players for the “NETMundial” summit last week. Well aware that any obvious plot to advance UN control over the World Wide Web would be a non-starter among Americans and the West,  

Email Shows White House Planned Benghazi Video Deception
The email is black-and-white evidence of deception and spin by top White House officials, who have denied since shortly after the 2012 attack that they tried to portray it as an out-of-control protest. In fact, the Cairo demonstration — which was not blocked by the Obama-supported Muslim Brotherhood government of Egypt — was organized to demand the release of a jihadi locked up in a U.S. jail.  

Ukraine 'on full combat alert' against possible Russia invasion
Ukraine's military is "on full combat alert" against a possible invasion by Russian troops massed on the border, acting President Oleksandr Turchynov said in a ministerial meeting in Kiev on Wednesday. "Our armed forces are on full combat alert," he said. "The threat of Russia starting a war against mainland Ukraine is real."  

Brunei adopts Sharia law despite international criticism
Brunei is to become the first East Asian country to adopt Sharia law as the sultan confirmed the Islamic penal code on Wednesday. The move sparks broad concern over the rights of women and minorities.  

Humanists put faith to test by giving schools free copies of atheist ‘bible’
A free copy of a secularist text called The Young Atheist’s Handbook is being sent to every secondary school in England and Wales, in a drive to help teenagers live well without recourse to religion. The initiative, which is solely funded by public donations, is the latest effort from the British Humanist Association (BHA) to support the teaching of humanist ideas in schools.  

After talks collapse, experts advise wait-and-see approach
With Fatah and Hamas on path to reunification, Israelis and Americans must monitor how process plays out before decided how to go forward, policy wonks say.  

Growing number of Mers cases deeply worrying
The death toll in Saudi Arabia from the deadly Mers (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) virus has crossed 100 and the number of deaths recorded on Monday alone was the highest single-day toll. The number of cases reported, which until Monday stood at 339, and the alarming death rate of 39 so far for this month alone, are worrying indicators that the situation may rapidly be reaching a dangerous level.  

Syria chemical weapons: Britain calls for urgent investigation
Britain has called for an urgent investigation into chemical weapons attacks by the Syrian regime after a Telegraph investigation showed chlorine bombs are being used to kill children. Scientific analysis of samples from multiple gas attacks, conducted exclusively for The Telegraph, show sizeable and unambiguous traces of chlorine and ammonia from the scene of three recent attacks.  

China poised to pass US as world’s leading economic power this year
The US is on the brink of losing its status as the world’s largest economy, and is likely to slip behind China this year, sooner than widely anticipated, according to the world’s leading statistical agencies.  

U.S. Homeownership Rate Falls to the Lowest Since 1995
The homeownership rate in the U.S. declined to the lowest in almost 19 years as rising property prices and mortgage rates held back demand. The share of Americans who own their homes was 64.8 percent in the first quarter, down from 65.2 percent in the previous three months, the Census Bureau said in a report today. The rate is the lowest since the second quarter of 1995, when it was 64.7 percent.  

Supreme Court green lights detention of Americans
The high court by its own order this week refused to review an appellate-level decision that says the president and U.S. military can arrest and indefinitely detain individuals. Officials with William J. Olson, P.C., a firm that filed an amicus brief asking the court to step in, noted that not a single justice dissented from the denial of certiorari. “The court ducked, having no appetite to confront both political parties in order to protect the citizens from military detention,”  

HS Students Say Pledge In Arabic: ‘One Nation Under Allah’
The principal at Rocky Mountain High School in Fort Collins, Colorado, is facing a hailstorm of criticism from some very angry parents and residents. The school recites the Pledge of Allegiance weekly, on Mondays. Last Monday, a member of their “Cultural Arms Club” led the student body in an Arabic version of the pledge, replacing the words “under God” with “under Allah.”  

Breaking News Ukraine: Every Inch of NATO Territory Will be Defended
As pro-Russian separatists stormed the regional administration's headquarters in the eastern Ukrainian city of Luhansk, the United States Secretary of State John Kerry, warned Russia that NATO will defend “every inch” of NATO territory. Mr. Kerry then went onto say, NATO was facing a "defining moment" in the strength of its alliance in the face of Russian actions.  

Russia experiencing recession now, says IMF
Russia is "experiencing recession now" because of damage caused by the Ukraine crisis, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said. The fund, which cut its growth forecast for Russia, said $100bn (£59bn) would leave the country this year. Antonio Spilimbergo, the IMF's mission chief in Moscow, said international sanctions were damaging the economy and threatening investment.  

Afghans 'repel big militant attack on border army base'
Afghan forces backed by Nato air power have repelled an assault by more than 300 militants including foreign fighters on an army base close to the Pakistani border, officials say. They say that the fighting took place in south-eastern Afghanistan, close to Pakistan's Waziristan region. The Nato-led force has not commented on the clashes, although local people told the BBC that its aircraft took part.  

'Kerry will resume push for Israeli-Palestinian talks after pause of several months'
After the nine-month deadline for Israeli-Palestinian peace talks expired on Tuesday, US Secretary of State John Kerry's aides said that he would again try to get the sides back to the negotiating table after a pause of several months. The talks came to an official halt on Tuesday...

Israel Air Force Pilots Practice Shooting Down Enemy Drones in Massive Drill
Apr 30th, 2014
Daily NewsThe Jerusalem Post
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

The Israel Air Force held a large exercise for fighter jets and combat helicopters in recent days to practice shooting down hostile drones.

The drill is part of a series of training exercises designed to prepare pilots for the growing threat of the drones that Hezbollah and Hamas have.

The pilots simulated responses to the detection of drones near the country’s borders, and scrambling aircraft on interception missions.

In addition to pilots, air controllers, equipped with detection and alert systems, took part in the exercise.

“This year, we drilled responses to a different type of drone. One that is more advanced, faster and which can remain in the air longer than the standard drone…

Fatah: Two - State Solution is Dead, Time for Armed Conflict
Apr 30th, 2014
Daily NewsINN
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel

Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction espouses the same ideology of destroying Israel as Hamas, with which it signed a unity deal last Wednesday, according to newly revealed video segments of a senior Fatah official.

Fatah Central Committee member Tawfiq Tirawi last week posted a video to YouTube of his comments from a pro-terrorist ceremony in Gaza. In his speech mere days before the unity deal, Tirawi said Gaza "will return to the bosom of legitimacy."

Tirawi added "the homeland...is...all of Palestine, from its [Jordan] River to its [Mediterranean] Sea," describing a map that effectively wipes out the Jewish state. Palestinian Media Watch translated the video.

Expert: Israel Does not Face a Demographic Threat
Apr 30th, 2014
Daily NewsIsrael Today
Categories: Contemporary Issues

From the American secretary of state to left-wing Israeli politicians to the mullahs of Iran, many subscribe to the notion that if Israel does not surrender the “West Bank” for the creation of a Palestinian state, it will be overwhelmed by an Arab population that will destroy the Jewish character of the state.

Not so, argued an Israeli expert citing such reputable sources as the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics and the CIA World Fact Book.

Dr. Guy Bachor (pictured), an expert on legal matters pertaining to the Middle East conflict, as well as the owner and operator of the popular Hebrew-language news analysis website GPlanet, was recently interviewed on Israel Channel 2’s morning show.

“Obama, Kerry, Clinton and all those who talk about the demographics are wrong,” Bachor stated firmly. “The data shows, and it’s true throughout the Middle East, a collapse in the Arab birth rate…including [among] the Palestinians and Israeli Arabs.”

At the same time, “there is an astounding rise among the Jewish population in Israel.”

Bachor explained that “the magic number…is 2.1 children per family. Lower than that is negative growth.” Many of the nations around Israel fail to reach that threshold, while in Europe the figures are much lower.

But in Israel, the birthrate remains well over three children per family. “There’s only one little country that has the chutzpa to have a rising birth rate. It’s unparalleled!” said Bachor.

But what about the Palestinians? Wouldn’t they overwhelm the Jewish population and, as US Secretary of State John Kerry this week suggested, force Israel into a policy of apartheid?

Bachor insisted that while that might once have been true, present realities have shifted in favor of the Jews.

“In 2003, the average number of children per Palestinian mother was over five,” he pointed out. “Ten years later, in 2013 - how many? Just 2.7, and it keeps going down.”

Bachor said that propagandized appearances notwithstanding, the reasons for this decreasing birthrate among the Palestinians are the same as anywhere else in the world: higher quality of living and better education.

This is particularly evident amongst women, who are applying for marriage licenses much later in life so they can first start a career. Like a growing number of Europeans, Bachor said Palestinian women want to break with previous societal norms, “they don’t want to [just] take care of children.”

In conclusion, Bachor insisted that “if there was once a demographic threat, it no longer exists. …Palestinians are disappearing. Jews are becoming a much more formidable force.”

Bp Snared By Sanctions Against Russia
Apr 30th, 2014
Daily NewsThe Vancouver Sun
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

 

The United States’s tightening of the noose yet further on the Russian economy, by imposing sanctions on the kingpin of Russia’s oil industry, could have serious consequences.

Igor Sechin, chairman of Russia’s top oil producer Rosneft, is a former KGB official from the inner circle of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He is thought to be the mastermind of the Kremlin’s energy strategy and Russia’s second most powerful man. His deputy has also been targeted.

Rosneft is the world’s biggest traded oil company, producing 2.5 million barrels a day and paying $75 billion a year in taxes to the Russian state. But the blacklisting move by Washington also creates a legal and political tangle for BP, which owns 19.75 per cent of Rosneft’s shares under a legacy deal from the TNK-BP venture.

It is unclear whether BP’s chief executive, Bill Dudley, can continue to sit on Rosneft’s board if Sechin remains in control. The U.S. Treasury statement said that “U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing with” anybody on the sanctions blacklist. Dudley is an American citizen.

For now the beleaguered British oil group is once again trying to put the best face on its disastrous misadventures in Russia. “We are committed to our investment in Rosneft, and we intend to remain a successful, long-term investor in Russia,” said a spokesman.

Shares in BP fell more than 1.5 per cent on the news of the sanctions before recovering slightly, closing down one per cent at 488.35 pence ($8.22 US).