Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

West Toughens Calls on Russia to Cooperate Over Downed Malaysian Plane
Jul 20th, 2014
Daily NewsReuters
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

HRABOVE/DONETSK Ukraine (Reuters) - Ukraine accused Russia and pro-Moscow rebels on Saturday of destroying evidence to cover up their guilt in the shooting down of a Malaysian airliner that has intensified a showdown between the Kremlin and Western powers.

As militants kept international monitors away from wreckage and scores of bodies festered for a fourth day on Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin urged the rebels to cooperate and insisted that a U.N.-mandated investigation must not leap to conclusions. Moscow denies involvement and has pointed a finger at Kiev's military.

UN Chief: Gaza is 'an Open Wound'
Jul 20th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Reuters

United Nations (UN) Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged Israel on Sunday to "exercise maximum restraint" and spare civilian lives in its campaign in Gaza, AFP reports.

He also condemned what he called the "atrocious action" of Israel in Shejaiya, near Gaza City, where 62 people were killed in an Israeli attack on Hamas terrorists.

The United Nations chief made his remarks in Doha at the start of a regional trip aimed at pushing for a ceasefire in Gaza.

"While I was en route to Doha, dozens more civilians, including children had been killed in Israeli military strikes in Shejaiya. I condemn this atrocious action," he was quoted by AFP as having told a news conference.

"Israel must exercise maximum restraint and do far more to protect civilians," he said, adding that it also "must respect the humanitarian law".

"Too many innocent people are dying...(and) living in constant fear" in the coastal strip controlled by Hamas, he said.

"Gaza is an open wound. We must stop the bleeding now," said Ban, adding that beyond a ceasefire the "root causes of the conflict" must be addressed.

Ban is also travelling to Kuwait City, Cairo, Jerusalem, Ramallah and Amman.

He is due to meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo on Monday to discuss proposals for a Gaza truce.

Egypt's foreign ministry said their talks would "focus on the deteriorating situation in Gaza and the Egyptian initiative for a ceasefire".

Ban’s singling out of Israel is the second time in several days that he has done so. On Thursday, Ban urged Israel to "do far more" to spare civilians after it launched a ground offensive in Gaza.

"I regret that despite my repeated urgings, and those of many regional and world leaders together, an already dangerous conflict has now escalated even further," Ban told reporters.

"I urge Israel to do far more to stop civilian casualties. There can be no military solution to this conflict," he added.

Also last week, the UN chief urged Israel to scrap plans for a ground operation in Gaza, saying that "too many" Palestinian Arab civilians have been killed.

Obama Sending Kerry to Cairo to Seek Ceasefire
Jul 20th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

President Barack Obama of the United States expressed concern over the loss of life in Gaza in a call to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Sunday and said Secretary of State John Kerry will "soon" travel to Cairo to seek an end to the fighting, according to Agence France Presse. AFP quoted a White House statement that said Obama, who condemned attacks by Hamas on Israel, "raised serious concern about the growing number of casualties, including increasing Palestinian civilian deaths in Gaza and the loss of Israeli soldiers."

Obama and Netanyahu spoke after Kerry did the rounds of Sunday morning US news shows, with Netanyahu also appearing on two of the programs. Obama "reaffirmed Israel's right to defend itself." The White House said Kerry will seek "an immediate cessation of hostilities based on a return to the November 2012 ceasefire agreement" and stressed the need to protect civilian life both "in Gaza and in Israel."

Netanyahu: We're 'Turning Back' the Disengagement
Jul 20th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Netanyahu

Flash 90

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu addressed the nation and answered reporters' questions Sunday evening during the prime time newscasts after 8:00 p.m., and spelled out relatively modest aims for Operation Protective Edge in Gaza, which completes its 13th day Sunday night.

In response to a question, Netanyahu said that Israel has embarked on a gradual process of undoing the harm done by the 2005 unilateral Gaza withdrawal known as the Disengagement, which ended up allowing Hamas to take over Gaza. At the time, he noted, he had warned that the vacuum left behind by Israel would be filled by Hamas, which would turn Gaza into "Hamastan" and fire rockets into Israel. This is, in fact, is what took place, he added.

The current campaign is intended to achieve “an extended period of calm and security” for the citizens of Israel, and “to inflict serious damage” on terror infrastructures in Gaza, Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu made no mention of more ambitious aims, like completely annihilating Hamas's ability to attack Israel with missiles and tunnels, or unseating Hamas.

Earlier Sunday, in a CNN interview, Netanyahu said that the Gaza operation could be over "fairly quickly."

Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon said at the news conference that within "two or three days," the "lion's share" of Hamas's terror tunnels will have been destroyed.

He also explained that one of the reasons for Hamas's decision to escalate the situation recently was that its future "is not looking rosy" and that it has lost much of the support it used to enjoy in the Arab world. 

The prime minister addressed the families of the soldiers killed in the operation. "No war is more just than the one in which your sons fell bravely,” he said. “We will complete the mission that they started. We will return quiet to the south and center and all parts of Israel.”

Netanyahu estimated that every Israeli watching him knows at least one person who is taking part in the fighting. “We must stand together, united,” he said. “We must be strong in difficult days like this, and in the days that may yet come. We are in a war for our home.”

Netanyahu said that the operation has received "very strong" international backing because of the way Israel approached the campaign, including its initial willingness to accept a ceasefire, which was rejected by Hamas.

Netanyahu Vows to Complete Gaza Mission
Jul 20th, 2014
Daily NewsDebkafile
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Let the Headlines Speak
Jul 20th, 2014
Daily NewsFrom the internet
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Mount Fuji’s next eruption will be due to 2011 earthquake
First there was the devastating tsunami, followed by the failure of the Fukishima nuclear plant. Now, researchers say that Mount Fuji, Japan’s iconic volcano, is poised to erupt for the first time in 307 years due to the earthquake. The 6.4-magnitude seism that occurred four days after the 2011 quake confirms the critical state of the volcano in terms of pressure.  

Yellowstone Earthquake Threat High In 2014, Says USGS; What Does This Mean For A Volcano Eruption?
The threat of the Yellowstone volcano blowing its top has some people fearing the possibility since a supervolcano eruption has the power of a nuclear explosion. But if the United States Geological Survey (USGS) now says the Yellowstone earthquake threat is high, then is there any reason to worry in the coming years?  

Japan Earthquake, Philippines Earthquake Today Strike On Land
A strong Japan earthquake today 2014 and a Philippines earthquake have both hit on land tonight. First, a Philippines earthquake struck just west of Nueva Fuerza. Second, a comparable quake today July 19, 2014 impacted west of Hitachi.  

4.2 magnitude earthquake hits Egypt
An earthquake measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale was felt by the residents in Egypt’s capital of Cairo and the seaport city Suez on Friday evening, according to Observatories and Research Facilities for European Seismology (EMSC), Egypt Independent reported.  

Iran nuclear talks deadline extended until November
Diplomats have agreed a four-month extension to the deadline for an agreement between Iran and world powers on Iran's nuclear programme. The US says it will unblock $2.8bn in frozen Iranian funds, in return for Iran continuing to convert its stocks of 20%-enriched uranium into fuel. The talks have aimed to persuade Iran to limit its nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.  

Gaza conflict: Clashes at Paris Pro-Palestinian protest
Pro-Palestinian protesters in France have clashed with police at a rally against Israel's action in Gaza. Thousands took part in the protest in Paris, despite it being banned. Some threw stones and bottles at riot police, who responded with tear gas. The ban was imposed after protesters attempted to storm two synagogues at a similar protest last week.  

Typhoon Rammasun: Monster storm buffets south China
The biggest typhoon to hit southern China in 40 years has killed 17 people, after wreaking death and destruction on the Philippines. Typhoon Rammasun killed at least eight people on the island of Hainan, with others missing, and nine in the Guangxi region, state media say. It made landfall on Friday with winds exceeding 200km/h (124mph).  

Egyptian troops killed at checkpoint
Gunmen have killed at least 20 soldiers in an attack on a checkpoint in western Egypt, security officials say. The attackers used grenade launchers and heavy machine guns when they attacked the desert post some 390 miles (630km) west of Cairo, officials said. It is not yet clear who carried out the assault.  

UK Jews feel anti-Semitic backlash
Britain’s Jewish community has seen an almost unprecedented doubling of anti-Semitic incidents over the last few weeks, the Jewish Community Trust reported. While incidents were not as violent as those on continental Europe, the CST advised Jewish leaders to ensure the community takes extra security precautions in the face of growing anti-Israel demonstrations.  

IDF resumes strikes in Gaza's Shejaia area after Hamas breaks humanitarian cease-fire
Hamas members on Sunday violated a humanitarian cease-fire in the Shejaia area of Gaza and fired on IDF soldiers with anti-tank missiles and automatic fire, the army said. The air force has begun resuming strikes in Shejaia, firing on locations from which the army came under fire. Hamas had no immediate comment on Israeli allegations it had breached the ceasefire.  

Islamic State Warns Christians: Convert, Pay Tax, Leave Or Die
Christians in Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq, were sent a message by the Islamic State (IS): convert to Islam, pay the jizya or leave. It appears that many are taking the new self-proclaimed Caliphate seriously.  

Gunmen attack Egyptian troops near Libyan border, kill 21
Gunmen armed with rocket-propelled grenades attacked a border guard post Saturday in Egypt's western desert in a brazen assault that killed 21 troops deployed in the province along the border with neighboring Libya. Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi called it a "terrorist attack" on soldiers defending the country's borders that will "not go unanswered.  

Turkish PM Erdogan says Israel "surpasses Hitler in barbarism"
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel on Saturday of having "surpassed Hitler in barbarism" through its attacks on Gaza, but warned Turks against taking out their anger on the country's Jewish community.  

Gaza conflict: Israel expands ground offensive
Israel says it has expanded its ground operation against Hamas, with residents in Gaza reporting the heaviest shelling since the conflict began 13 days ago. In a statement, Israel's military said "additional forces" had joined "the effort to combat terror" in Gaza.  

Philippine typhoon death toll nears 100, new storm brings rains
The death toll from Typhoon Rammasun in the Philippines rose to 94 -- with six missing -- as another storm brought rains to the ravaged areas, authorities said Sunday.  

Wave of bombings in Baghdad kills 27 people: police, medics
At least 27 people were killed in a wave of bombings in mostly Shi'ite Muslim areas of Baghdad on Saturday, police and medics said, in the deadliest day of attacks in the capital since a Sunni insurgency overran large parts of Iraq's north last month.  

Russia says will impose visa bans on U.S. citizens in retaliation
Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Saturday Moscow would retaliate against the United States' most recent sanctions over Ukraine by denying entry to several U.S. citizens.  

Israeli bulldozers destroy Hamas tunnels in Gaza
Israel said it widened its ground offensive early Sunday, sending more troops into Gaza after demolishing more than a dozen Hamas tunnels and intensifying tank fire on border areas.  

Ukraine, rebels argue over wreck; Europeans give Putin 'last chance'
Ukraine accused Russia and pro-Moscow rebels on Saturday of destroying evidence to cover up their guilt in the shooting down of a Malaysian airliner that has accelerated a showdown between the Kremlin and Western powers.  

Iran Warned of 'Last Chance' in Nuclear Talks After Deadline Missed
Jul 20th, 2014
Daily NewsReuters
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran faced Western pressure on Saturday to make concessions over its atomic activities after it and six world powers failed to meet a July 20 deadline for a deal to end the decade-old dispute but agreed to keep talking.

The countries agreed to extend the high-stakes negotiations by four months, and let Iran access another $2.8 billion of its cash frozen abroad during that period, though most sanctions on the Islamic Republic stayed in place.

God shares his good pleasure with His own
Jul 20th, 2014
Thought For The WeekA. W. Tozer
Categories: Commentary;Inspirational

It is the nature of God to share. His mighty acts of creation and redemption were done for His good pleasure, but His pleasure extends to all created things.

One has only to look at a healthy child at play or listen to the song of a bird at sundown and he will know that God meant His universe to be a joyful one.

Those who have been spiritually enabled to love God for Himself will find a thousand fountains springing up from the rainbow-circled throne and bringing countless treasures which are to be received with reverent thanksgiving as being the overflow of God's love for His children. Each gift is a bonus of grace which because it was not sought for itself may be enjoyed without injury to the soul. These include the simple blessings of life, such as health, a home, a family, congenial friends, food, shelter, the pure joys of nature or the more artificial pleasures of music and art.

The effort to find these treasures by direct search apart from God has been the major activity of mankind throughout the centuries; and this has been man's burden and man's woe!

God wills that we should love Him for Himself alone with no hidden reasons, trusting Him to be to us all our natures require. Our Lord said all this much better: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

"Whom have in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. (Psalm 73:25)

General: IDF Taking Down Hamas Underground City
Jul 20th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Terrorist tunnel

Flash 90

The IDF has discovered an “underground city” in Gaza filled with explosives, IDF Spokesman Brigadier-General Moti Almoz said Sunday.

He spoke to Channel 10 following the discovery of at least 36 terror tunnels in Gaza. Many of the tunnels were filled with rockets, explosives and other weapons.

“Hamas planned these tunnels for years, and planned to use them to kidnap soldiers. [Now] they see the tunnels collapsing one after the other,” Almoz declared.

Hamas “built an underground city full of bombs, meant to evade the IDF and to use in serious terrorist attacks,” he added.

Almoz said that the IDF has reached “significant achievements” in Operation Protective Edge, the defensive operation that began after Hamas launched a major rocket assault on Israeli cities.

The operation expanded on Saturday night, he said. “We are continuing to work deep in the territory, with the goal of destroying Hamas’ capabilities,” he stated.

While the operation has been successful to date, “it’s impossible to hit 100% of the tunnels and to prevent 100% of the rocket fire,” he warned.

The rocket assault from Gaza has grown significantly weaker since the operation began, he noted. However, he called to “not talk about the bottom line yet.”

“We need to wait a few days to see if this is a trend. Only when the operation is over can we confirm success in destroying tunnels and frustrating Hamas – two strategic goals that we are making major progress on,” Almoz concluded.

French Foreign Minister Finds No Opening for Ceasefire
Jul 20th, 2014
Daily NewsDebkafile
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues