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UN Offers to 'Monitor' Construction Material Imports Into Gaza
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

The United Nations is ready to check imports of construction material sent to Gaza in order to ease Israel's concerns that supplies could be used to rebuild Hamas tunnels, a UN envoy said Monday.

UN Mideast envoy Robert Serry told the UN Security Council that reconstruction of Gaza remained the main priority once a durable ceasefire is agreed between Hamas and Israel.

"Construction material must be allowed into Gaza to this effect - aggregate, bar and cement. And their access to Gaza must be facilitated in such a way that fulfills Israel's security concerns," Serry said. "The United Nations stands ready to lend its support in this regard.

Serry claimed some 16,800 housing units have been destroyed or severely damaged in the fighting that erupted on July 8, with the devastation three times worse than during the last Gaza conflict in 2008-2009.

He voiced hope that UN monitoring could be agreed before a major donors conference announced by Norway takes place in Cairo to raise funds for reconstruction.

Ample evidence has proven that Hamas uses UN and other aid money, as well as materials, to build terror tunnels to attack Israelis instead of providing municipal buildings to its own citizens. 

To illustrate this, the IDF revealed during the course of Operation Protective Edge last month that 4,680 trucks carrying 181 thousand tons of gravel, iron, cement, wood and other supplies have passed through the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza since January 2014 - much of it directly from Israel to fund civilian projects. 

Instead, however, a network of over 30 tunnels was found during the ground offensive - with each tunnel costing roughly $3 million to build. For every Hamas terror tunnel, the IDF stated, there was enough building materials to build 86 homes; seven mosques; six schools; or nineteen medical clinics. 

The statistics beg the question of why Hamas needs over ten times the building materials needed for the buildings above, as Gaza is not big enough to house an additional 190 medical clinics, for example.

U.S. Condemns Hamas Rocket Fire As Terrorists Blame Israel
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

The United States has condemned Hamas's breach of the ceasefire Tuesday, blaming the Islamist terror group for the breakdown of talks over a long-term truce in Cairo.

"Hamas has security responsibility for Gaza... Rocket fire came from Gaza," State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said, blaming the Palestinian Islamist group for renewed fighting.

Despite the blatant breach of the ceasefire by Gaza rocket-fire, Hamas has blamed Israel for the breakdown in talks.

A senior Hamas official said Tuesday the chances of a durable ceasefire in Gaza were "evaporating" and that there had been no progress in indirect negotiations with Israel.

The official, Ezzat al-Rishq, is among a Palestinian delegation in Cairo where Egyptian mediators are racing to bridge the gaps ahead of the expiration of a temporary ceasefire at midnight.

"There is no progress in the negotiations. Chances of an agreement are evaporating, and we hold the Zionist occupation fully responsible for that," Rishq wrote on Twitter.

He said the Palestinian delegation had presented the Egyptian mediators with their final position, which was relayed to the Israelis.

The Israeli team "left with the excuse of presenting it to their cabinet," Rishq wrote.

Israel ordered its delegation to leave Cairo and renewed air strikes on Gaza after a salvo of rockets hit the south of the country, hours before the truce was to expire.

At least eight rockets and mortar shells have been fired on Israel by Gazan terrorists on Tuesday, starting with three rockets aimed at the southern city of Be'er Sheva shortly before 4 p.m.

U.S. Blacklists IS Leader As 'Global Terrorist'
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

The US State Department blacklisted a senior terrorist in the Islamic State (IS; formerly known as Islamic State in Iraq or the Levant, or ISIS/ISIL) on Tuesday, designating him as a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist" and prohibiting transactions with him under US law.

"The Department of State designated Abu Mohammed al-Adnani as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism," the Department stated Tuesday. "The consequences of this designation include a prohibition against U.S. persons engaging in transactions with al-Adnani, and the freezing of all property and interests of al-Adnani that are in the United States, or come within the United States or the possession or control of U.S. persons."

A United Nations (UN) blacklist has been implemented as well. 

"Along with al-Adnani’s U.S. designation, he will be added to the UN 1267/1989 Al Qaeda Sanctions list, requiring all member states to implement an assets freeze, a travel ban, and an arms embargo against al-Adnani," the State Department added. 

"Abu Mohammed al-Adnani, born Taha Sobhi Falaha in Syria, is the official spokesman for and a senior leader of ISIL.  Al-Adnani is ISIL’s main conduit for the dissemination of official messages, including ISIL’s declaration of the creation of an Islamic Caliphate.  Al-Adnani was one of the first foreign fighters to oppose Coalition forces in Iraq before becoming ISIL’s spokesman." 

The Sunni Muslim group follows Al-Qaeda's hard-line ideology, but is not affiliated with Al-Qaeda which has renounced ISIS.

It seeks to re-create a medieval-style caliphate erasing borders from the Mediterranean to the Gulf. It deems Shiite Muslims to be heretics deserving death and has committed genocide against a number of ethnic minorities in Syria and Iraq, including Bedouin and ethnic Yazidi. 

IS's genocide sparked so much concern that the US recently launched a number of airstrikes against the terror organization, sparking fears of a full-fledged ground offensive into Iraq.

In response, the group stepped up its anti-Western and anti-American ideology, threatening Tuesday to "Drown Americans in Blood." 

The Subtle Attempt to Take Israel Out of the Bible
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsProphecy New Watch
Categories: Today's Headlines;Commentary

New Christians struggling to study their Bible are often taught to read the Scriptures as though they were written personally to them, even reciting the scriptures using one's own name in place of the verse's subject. While it is important to apply Scripture to one's own life, it is equally important to not ignore the original context of the scripture and the original recipient of that particular promise.

For example, a special verse that brings comfort to a person who may be experiencing difficulty is Isaiah 49:16 "See, I have inscribed you [insert name] on the palms of My hands." This verse lets the believer know that they are known by the Lord, and He holds them before Him, as it were, in the palms of His hands. It is a beautiful verse.

It may be a great surprise to many to learn that the verse is originally intended for Jerusalem, the city that personifies the people of Israel, for verse 17 goes on to say "Your walls are continually before Me." An over-personalization of the scriptures can actually result in a Christian who can recite verses from their Bible but has failed to understand what the book is about.

Another tendency in Bible study is to study by topic or book, which is understandable for such an immense volume as the Bible. The danger, however, is walking away from a Bible study understanding everything there is to know about a particular topic but not knowing the overall story of the Bible itself.

The Bible is the story of God's love for the world, His plan to redeem that world, and the battle against that plan. The object of God's love was always the world, and He chose Abraham to birth a nation through which He would carry out His plan to redeem that world. This is the overarching story that the Bible tells, and central to the story is the calling on the nation of Israel.

The Bible is, in fact, a Jewish book: written by, about, and largely for, Jews. Jesus even said that salvation is of the Jews. Christians are partakers of that salvation and are able to apply the scriptures to their own lives, because they are the heirs of Abraham by faith. Through Jesus they are adopted into the family and are part of Abraham's family tree. But, they do not replace the original family they are grafted into, nor do they annul God's promises to the Jews.

Some Christians have tried to claim that the Old Testament should no longer be read literally about the people of Israel; it now only applies spiritually to the church. This is known as Replacement Theology: the idea that the church has replaced Israel in the plans and purposes of God. This spiritualization of scripture is actually a rejection of scripture by rewriting it to mean something other than its original meaning.

While some Replacement Theologians would deny rejecting or rewriting scripture, others are quite blatant about it. One such group is Sabeel. Founded by Palestinian Anglican Canon, Naim Ateek, Sabeel propagates Palestinian Liberation Theology and disregards any portion of Scripture that disagrees with Ateek's anti-Semitic views. He calls for Scripture to be "de-Zionized" by removing all "Zionist" portions that afford any significance to the nation of Israel and any connection of the Jewish people to the Holy Land.

While that may sound ludicrous to most, Sabeel has the ear of some mainline denominations, one being the Presbyterian Church (USA). The group's influence over the years has fanned the flames of Replacement Theology in the PCUSA and finally resulted in this summer's vote to divest from companies doing business with Israel.

That denomination also published an anti-Semitic study guide earlier this year entitled "Zionism Unsettled" in which Sabeel authored a chapter as did Replacement Theologian Gary Burge.

The study guide was unbalanced and malicious, and it intentionally over-simplified the extremely complicated Arab-Israeli conflict in order to vilify Israel and Zionism. It was so biased that some Jewish groups called it "hate speech."

The study guide ended with a group exercise suggesting that liturgy and hymns be edited so as to avoid words like Israel, Zion, exile, covenant and return, as they might cause worshipers to confuse these biblical terms with modern events and people in the Holy Land.

Interestingly, all of this manipulation and conniving is with one intent in mind: rid Scripture of the role of the nation of Israel. This is in complete contradiction to the words of the Apostle Paul that Israel's calling cannot be revoked. Speaking specifically of the Jewish people, He said in Romans 11:29, "For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable."

The problem is, of course, that if you want to remove Israel from the Bible, you will have little Bible left. Christianity then loses its spiritual roots, churches lose their moral authority, and their membership numbers dwindle. The PCUSA membership has dropped 26.8 percent over the last 10 years. Let's hope they see the error of their ways before it is too late.

The Partial Suspension of Rocket Alerts Draws Public Complaints
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsDebkafile
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

DEBKAfile reports a flood of complaints have reached the IDF Home Command from the public about a new order against activating rocket alerts when open spaces inside towns – and not buildings - are threatened. In the last two weeks, Rosh Ha’ayin, Kiryat Gath, Jerusalem’s Har Homa suburb, Gush Etzion and, this Tuesday, Beersheba, came under rocket attack, without their inhabitants receiving any warning. Furthermore, drivers are no longer alerted to incoming rockets targeting the roads or highways on which they are traveling.

This new practice should be abandoned without delay and the alarms reactivated in full.  Rocket fragments and large metal pieces from rockets intercepted by Iron Dome frequently drop over open ground in inhabited areas and busy streets. The public must be given due warning to seek shelter in time

The First Robot That Behaves Like a Human
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsInc.com
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Stars, ADL Team Up to Call for Hamas's Demilitarization
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Several high-profile entertainment industry leaders have teamed up with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the Los Angeles Jewish Journal reported Monday, to call for the prevention of allowing Hamas and Islamic Jihad to re-arm. 

Eighteen signatories signed the promotional poster, an ad that will run in this week's Jewish Journal. The number signifies "life" in Hebrew, and accompanies the quotation from Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir: "We can forgive them for killing our children. We cannot forgive them for forcing us to kill their children. We will only have peace with them when they love their own children more than they hate us."

Signatories include actress Mayim Bialik, Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer, Relativity Media CEO Ryan Kavanaugh, Sony Pictures Entertainment Co-Chair Amy Pascal, media mogul Haim Saban, and film director Brett Ratner.

The ADL letter ends with the hope that "the people of Israel and Gaza can move towards a more peaceful future."

The IDF's self-defense operation in Gaza became a controversial subject in Hollywood over the past several weeks, as several young stars - including Selena Gomez, Rihanna, and Penelope Cruz - turned to Twitter to express their support for Gaza in the conflict, irrespective of Hamas's role. 

The move stirred controversy, with Academy-Award winning actor Jon Voight penning a strongly-worded Op/Ed in the Hollywood Reporter supporting Israel and telling the young stars to "hang your heads in shame." 

"Hang your heads in shame….You have been able to become famous and have all your monetary gains because you are in a democratic country: America...You had a great responsibility to use your celebrity for good. Instead, you have defamed the only democratic country of goodwill in the Middle East: Israel," Voight wrote. 

Radio personality Howard Stern, "Fashion Police" star Joan Rivers, actor Dean Cain, movie director Woody Allen, and comedian Bill Maher each also publicly expressed support for Israel during the operation.

Report: PA Proposes to Renew Ceasefire
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Head of the Palestinian Authority’s delegation in Cairo, Azzam al-Ahmad, announced on Tuesday that his envoy filed a proposal to renew its ceasefire with Israel.

Al-Ahmad also said that the Palestinian Authority’s delegation is currently awaiting Israel’s response.

Poll: Most Americans Support Iraq Airstrikes Against the IS
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

A recent survey conducted by the Washington Post has shown that a majority of Americans support the airstrikes in Iraq against IS forces who are slaughtering civilians.

An earlier poll on the same issue only showed 54% to be in support of Obama's actions, vs. 31% who were against the attacks.

PA: Talks Reached Dead End Regardless of Rockets
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Palestinian Authority sources in Cairo said that “The problems in negotiations did not arise following the launching of rockets into Israel. The problems in the talks are significant. We cannot at this time reach an agreement. The talks reached a dead end.”

The sources indicated that “The ‘Palestinian’ delegation is demanded that it be overtly stated that a port will be established in Gaza and that details will be ironed out at a later date, but Israel hinged such a matter on the demilitarization of the region. Any chances of reaching a lasting ceasefire in the near future are slim to none.”

PA Official: It's All Israel's Fault
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

 

A senior official who heads the Palestinian Arab delegation for talks on a long-term ceasefire in Gaza on Tuesday night blamed Israel for the temporary ceasefire having collapsed.

"The ceasefire has collapsed and Israel is responsible," Azzam al-Ahmed, the head of the delegation in Cairo participating in indirect negotiations with Israel, told the AFP news agency.

"We are leaving tomorrow, but we have not pulled out of negotiations," he added, noting the Palestinians were waiting for Israel to respond to their truce proposal.

"We will not come back (to Cairo) until the Israel responds," he declared.

Ahmed, an aide of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, heads the delegation that includes senior Hamas officials.

One of the Hamas officials, Ezzat al-Rishq, warned Israel "will not enjoy security so long as the Palestinian people do not."

The comments came hours after Hamas violated a ceasefire that was set to expire at midnight by firing rockets towards Be’er Sheva, then continued by firing another barrage towards southern and central Israel, including Jerusalem.

Hamas later declared that Israel had “opened the gates of hell”.

In a statement, the group’s so-called “military wing” said that it had resumed the rocket fire on Israel because the Israeli Air Force had launched an airstrike on a home in Gaza.

The group warned that “the price will be a heavy one”.

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri earlier on Tuesday accused Israel of "stalling" ceasefire talks in Cairo, hours before the extension of the temporary truce was due to expire.

"Israel is responsible for the stagnation of ongoing negotiations in Cairo," he claimed. "It's dragging its feet and shows no desire to reach an agreement."

Muhammed is Now Britains Most Popular Boys Name
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsProphecy New Watch
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

An exclusive report written by Breitbart London last week, Muhammed has been crowned Britain's most popular boys name in figures published by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) today. The name of the Muslim prophet beat Oliver as the most popular boys name chosen by parents in Britain in 2013.

As a result of the way the statistics are put together, the name does not appear to have won, as the ONS classifies each of the different spellings as a different entry on the list. This means that "Muhammad" came in 15th with 3,499 children but "Mohammed" was 23rd with 2,887 and "Mohammad" was 57th with 1059 given the name.

As a result the top three spellings alone accounted for the names of 7,445 boys, easily beating the second most popular name Oliver which got just 6,949. Also the statistics are only published for the top 100 names, so the even more obscure spellings of Mohammed are likely to push the total even higher.

News that Mohammed is the most popular boys name in Britain was first exclusively reported on Breitbart London following a leak at the ONS last week. At the time, Mohammed was already the most popular boys name in London by some considerable margin.

The scale of the result is likely to leave the public shocked, although much of the mainstream media are expected to focus on the official ONS results. As a result, they will report that Mohammed only came in 15th, ignoring the multiple entries. In previous years, media outlets in Britain have not aggregated the various spellings and have only published the top 20 names, which makes it seem like traditional names remain dominant.

Muhammad is so popular as a name because the three million Muslims in Britain tend to like to name at least one of their sons after the prophet. This makes the name much more popular amongst Muslim families than any name is amongst Christians.

In 2002, the Muhammad spelling of the name was the 61st most popular boys name in Britain. In the same period the number of Muslims in Britain has doubled.

Meshaal, Abbas to Meet in Qatar Despite Hamas Coup Attempt
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas will travel to Doha on Wednesday and hold talks the next day with the emir of Qatar and Hamas exiled leader Khaled Meshaal, the Palestinian ambassador in Qatar told AFP Tuesday. 

Abbas's visit to Qatar was initially announced for Monday by Palestinian officials who are in Cairo for indirect talks with Israel on a lasting truce in Gaza.

Abbas will on Thursday discuss separately with Meshaal and Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani latest developments in the negotiations in Cairo and "aid and reconstruction" in Gaza, Palestinian ambassador Monir Ghannam told AFP.

From Doha, Ghannam said Tuesday, Abbas will travel on to Cairo as part of contacts the Palestinian leadership is staging "with all the parties concerned" in the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

The meeting follows both the last-minute extension of a 5-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas - and rumors of Israel agreeing to some of Hamas's unprecedented demands for a lasting truce - and the revelation that Hamas recently staged a coup in Judea-Samaria.

On Monday, it was cleared for publication that the Hamas headquarters in Turkey ordered a large-scale coup of Abbas's new PA government by destabilizing the political and security situation through a series of terror attacks on Israelis. 

Ninety-three (93) terrorists were arrested in an IDF/ISA counterterror operation and large weapons caches and funds were seized. 

Later Monday, Abbas said the information could have lasting implications for the Palestinian Arab people.

"This new information is a real danger to the unity of the Palestinian people and its future," Abbas stated, according to Channel 2 News.  

He stressed that the implications of the discovery "will be serious for the Palestinian and regional situation, especially after Israeli officials published a list and pictures of confiscated weapons."

The unity government itself has been slowly crumbling over the past two months, after differences of opinion have surfaced over several issues, including the war in Gaza, reactions to the abduction and murder of three Israeli teenagers, and the delayed payment of wages for government workers in Gaza in the weeks leading up to the current conflict.

Maj. Torjman Prepares Southern Communities for Escalation
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsDebkafile
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Let the Headlines Speak
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsFrom the internet
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Earthquake swarm in northwest Nevada
An earthquake swarm has hit the northwest corner of Nevada near the borders of Oregon and California. There have been 87 quakes of magnitude 1 or more since Monday and 96 since Aug. 13 in the area of the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge, according to Nevada Seismological Laboratory.  

Magnitude 4 earthquake in Cook Inlet region
The Alaska Earthquake Information Center in Fairbanks says it was centered near the Iliamna volcano, which is 34 miles southwest of the Redoubt volcano, 137 miles southwest of Anchorage and 60 miles west of Homer.  

Magnitude 4.2 earthquake strikes near Oklahoma City, hundreds report shaking
Tuesday, August 19, 2014, 9:27 AM - The U.S. Geological Survey confirmed a magnitude 4.2 earthquake near Guthrie, Oklahoma Tuesday morning.  

US won't reveal records on health website security
After promising not to withhold government information over "speculative or abstract fears," the Obama administration has concluded it will not publicly disclose federal records that could shed light on the security of the government's health care website...  

Muhammed Is Britain's Most Popular Boys Name
As exclusively reported by Breitbart London last week, Muhammed has been crowned Britain's most popular boys name in figures published by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) today. The name of the Muslim prophet beat Oliver as the most popular boys name chosen by parents in Britain in 2013.  

‘Chilling’ Sign Seen Behind CNN’s Jake Tapper During Ferguson Protests
A sign that read “ISIS here” was spotted Monday night behind a CNN host during live coverage of the unrest which has gripped a Missouri suburb following the shooting of an unarmed black 18-year-old.  

I’m Wanted for 'Hate Crimes' in Canada
"Under the guise of 'anti-discrimination,' Christians today face discrimination at unprecedented levels. "Christians," I continued, "true Christians—regenerate, Bible-believing Christians who strive their level best to maintain fidelity to the word of God and honor His commands—will not, indeed cannot, participate in, approve of, facilitate or encourage certain behaviors deemed by the Holy Scriptures to be immoral or sinful.  

The "Islamic State" Wake-Up Call
The "Islamic State" terrorist group active in Iraq, in Syria, and even in Gaza, has sounded a wake-up call to the West to arise from its slumber  

'Breakthrough' Reported in Cairo Talks; Deal 'Initialed'
The Israeli and Palestinian teams to Cairo ceasefire talks have signed their initials to a permanent ceasefire agreement, according to an unconfirmed report by Bethlehem-based Ma'an news.  

RED HEIFER UPDATE
upon recent inspection it has become clear that Talia, as she is affectionately known, has become disqualified for use for the ordinance of the red heifer and is now unfit according to Biblical law. This is on account of a change of pigmentation in a patch of skin, as well as the appearance of white hairs in the affected area.  

Pope Francis: I Only Have 2-3 More Years to Live
"Another two or three years, and God will take me," Francis said, speaking to reporters on his way back to the Vatican from South Korea. According to reporters on the plane, the pope was generally in high spirits despite the grim prediction.  

Huckabee: Does Library of Congress need weapons?
the notion of God-given rights is being replaced by government control. Privacy rights are crumbling along with Fourth Amendment guarantees that protect citizens from warrantless searches, she said.  

Islamic State booby traps massive Iraqi dam which could kill thousands if breached
The American backed offensive to recapture Iraq's biggest dam slowed on Monday, as fighters from the Islamic State rigged part of the area with booby traps and remotely triggered bombs.  

Ebola Death Toll in West Africa Tops 1,200
As West African nations grapple with the worst-ever outbreak of the Ebola virus, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday that the death toll had exceeded 1,200 and announced increased efforts to forestall hunger in areas isolated by quarantine measures.  

CME IMPACT:
A minor CME hit Earth's magnetic field on August 19th at approximately 06:30 UT. The impact was not a strong one. Nevertheless, mild to moderate geomagnetic storms are possible at high latitudes as Earth moves through the CME's wake on August 19-20.  

Kuwait rocks on Iran-Iraq border quake
Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) announced that an earthquake of magnitude 5.0 on the Richter Scale struck Iran at a location about 594 kms away from north of Kuwait, which shook the Iranian- Iraqi border areas and was experienced in some parts of Kuwait.  

Despite sanctions relief, Iran aids Hamas with missile technology
...Iranian assistance is what ultimately helped the Palestinian group build the thousands of rockets it fired at Israeli targets from Gaza starting in July. ...one influential Iranian official...claiming Hamas was able to fire missiles into Israel specifically because of technology provided by Iran, and that Tehran should get serious about continuing to provide new assistance.  

Ukraine convoy attack near Luhansk leaves 'no survivors'
No-one survived an attack on a convoy of refugees in the Luhansk area of eastern Ukraine on Monday, a rebel source has told the BBC. Details of the attack are still unclear but a Ukrainian military spokesman has said 15 bodies have so far been recovered from the scene. Ukraine has accused pro-Russian rebels of attacking the convoy but they have denied involvement.  

Pope lifts beatification ban on Salvadoran Oscar Romero
Pope Francis has lifted a ban on the beatification of murdered Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero. For years, the Roman Catholic Church blocked the process because of concerns that he had Marxist ideas. The bishop was one of the main proponents of Liberation Theology...  

Community Health Systems data hack hits 4.5 million
A major US hospital group said it was the victim of a cyber-attack resulting in the theft of 4.5 million people's personal data. The attack, which Community Health Systems believed originated in China, happened in April and June this year. The data included patient names, addresses, birthdates, telephone numbers and social security numbers.  

Ferguson unrest: New clashes as Obama urges calm
US police say they have arrested 31 people during another night of angry protests in the town of Ferguson in the state of Missouri. Unrest flared hours after President Obama called for calm following the fatal police shooting of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown on 9 August. The US attorney general is due to visit Ferguson on Wednesday to meet federal officials investigating the killing.  

Poll finds almost no support for accepting Hamas's demands
Only four tenths of a percent of Israeli Jews think Israel should accept Hamas’s demands in order to stop rocket fire from the Gaza Strip, the monthly Peace Index poll sponsored by the Israel Democracy Institute and Tel Aviv University revealed Tuesday. The poll of 600 respondents who constitute a representative sample of the adult population of Israel...  

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to end exile 'soon'
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's shock announcement that he will leave the Ecuadorian Embassy in London "soon" remains shrouded in mystery, with the exile refusing to clarify when he will make the move.  

Nepal and India floods leave many dead
At least 160 people are reported to have been killed in floods and landslides following days of torrential rain in Nepal and northern India.  

Gaza conflict: ceasefire 'extended by a day'
The Gaza ceasefire has been extended for a further 24 hours after talks in Cairo, Palestinian and Israeli officials have told the BBC. The previous ceasefire came into effect last Wednesday, but was due to expire at midnight (21:00 GMT) on Monday. Officials say that 2,016 Palestinians and 66 Israelis have died since Israel began its offensive on Gaza on 8 July.  

U.S. ship finishes neutralizing Syria's worst chemical arms: Pentagon
A specially equipped U.S. ship has finished neutralizing all 600 metric tons of the most dangerous of Syria's chemical weapons components surrendered to the international community this year to avert threatened air strikes, the Pentagon said on Monday.  

Islamic State message to America: 'we will drown all of you in blood'
The Islamic State militant group that has seized large parts of Iraq and drawn the first American air strikes since the end of the occupation in 2011 has warned the United States it will attack Americans "in any place" if the raids hit its militants.  

Israeli Official Denies Agreement to Lift Gaza Blockade
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Contrary to reports by the joint Palestinian delegation to Cairo, Israeli representatives have not left Egypt after agreeing to lift the blockade on Gaza, according to a senior Israeli official involved in the negotiations.

Talks are still continuing over core issues, including if and how the Israeli blockade of the Hamas-controlled territory could be eased without compromising Israeli security, as a 24-hour extension of the temporary ceasefire agreed between the sides on Monday gets underway.

The official - who spoke to Channel Two on condition of anonymity - said that no comprehensive agreement for a long-term truce had been made, and that the Israeli delegation had remained in Cairo to as not to undermine the Egyptian initiative.

Last night, sources within the Palestinian delegation claimed that a "major breakthrough" had been made in talks. But the head of the delegation, Azzam al-Ahmad, quickly played down the claims.

"Reports in the media about progress are not correct," he said. "I hope that tomorrow we will take advantage of every moment to reach an agreement, but at this stage we only agreed upon an extension of the (temporary) ceasefire by a day."

"If no agreement is reached, the cycle of violence will be renewed," he warned.

Hamas had repeatedly declared it would not agree to an extension of the ceasefire, and threatened the resumption of a war of attrition against Israel until it gave in to the Islamists' demands. The terrorist group is under pressure to achieve concessions after initiating a bloody conflict with Israel that ravaged its territory and didn't succeed in inflicting significant casualties on Israel.

But pressure from both the Palestinian Authority and Egypt succeeded in forcing them to accept an additional 24-hour ceasefire.

"The negotiations have faced difficulties because of the occupation's obstinacy, and the 24-hour (extension) came as a result of a request by the mediators to have another chance," senior Hamas official Ezzat al-Rishq wrote on Twitter.

Israel: Talks Collapsed Because of Rocket Fire
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

An official diplomatic source in Israel said that negotiations in Cairo collapsed because of the rockets launched into Israel on Tuesday afternoon.

The source also denied claims that the talks collapsed because of significant discrepancies between the sides.

Islamic State Threatens to 'Drown Americans in Blood'
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

The Islamic State (IS) terrorist group that has seized large parts of Iraq threatened the United States on Monday it will attack Americans "in any place" if U.S. airstrikes in Iraq hit its people.

According to Reuters, the threat was made in a video published by the group.

The video, which shows a photograph of an American who was beheaded during the U.S. occupation of Iraq and victims of snipers, featured a statement which said in English "we will drown all of you in blood".

U.S. President Barack Obama recently authorized "limited airstrikes" following threats of an impending genocide committed by IS against the local Yazidi people.

On Saturday, the U.S. military confirmed it conducted nine airstrikes near Arbil and Iraq's largest dam in an effort to help Kurdish forces retake it from the IS.

Obama said at a news conference on Monday that the Islamic State posed a threat to Iraq and the entire region.

Meanwhile, humanitarian aid continues to be delivered to thousands of Yazidis trapped in the Sinjar Mountains while fleeing IS's ultimatum to convert or die.

The ancient Yazidi community has been particularly targeted by the Islamic State, with reports of large-scale massacres and systematic rape drawing concerns of an impending genocide if rapid action is not taken.

Islamic State Booby Traps Massive Iraqi Dam Which Could Kill Thousands If Breached
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsThe Telegraph
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Iraqi Militants Threaten Revenge Attacks on U.S.
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsSky News
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

As Kurdish troops wrestle back control of a crucial dam near Mosul, IS militants warn Americans will "drown in blood".

Iraqi militants have threatened to respond to US airstrikes by attacking American targets, posting a video in which they warn: "We will drown all of you in blood".

The message, which was accompanied by photographs of beheadings, came as Barack Obama announced Kurdish peshmerga troops, supported by US jets, had recaptured the strategically important Mosul Dam.

The US president said Islamic State (IS) fighters remained "a threat to Iraq and the entire region" and said Iraqis "must reject them and unite by pushing them out of lands they have occupied".

"They claim to represent Sunni grievances but they slaughter Sunni men, women and children," he said, adding limited military missions would continue.

Mr Obama has authorised limited missions in Iraq

Unlike al Qaeda, IS has, to date, focused on seizing land in Iraq and Syria for its self-proclaimed caliphate, rather than attacking Western targets.

Earlier, the group denied losing control of Mosul Dam, which supplies water and electricity to much of the country.

It had been feared they would cut pipes and cables or blow up the structure, branded the "most dangerous in the world" by the US Army in 2007, causing huge loss of life and extensive damage along the Tigris valley.

Army spokesman Lt Gen Qassim al Moussawi said at least 170 bombs had been dismantled around the site but warned many more remain.

Meanwhile, Sky News has gained exclusive access to suspected IS militants who were captured by Kurdish fighters. The trio are being held in a secret location, claiming they were tortured into making confessions.

And IS militants killed dozens of Kurdish peshmerga fighters and captured 170 of them, a Twitter account that supports the group said.

Both sides had been locked in fierce fighting around Mosul Dam

Iraq's outgoing foreign minister Hoshiyar Zebari also said Kurdish officials would take part in negotiations on forming a new government, paving the way for improved ties between Kurds and the central administration.

It came after David Cameron insisted Britain would not be dragged into another war in Iraq to fight what he called "monstrous" jihadists.

He spoke out after it emerged the UK had briefly sent a number of ground troops to Irbil to prepare for a rescue mission to help displaced Yazidi people.

A strongly worded statement followed confusion over Britain's involvement in Iraq after a series of media interviews by senior ministers.

"I want to be absolutely clear to you and to families watching at home. Britain is not going to get involved in another war in Iraq," the Prime Minister said in a televised address.

"We are not going to be putting boots on the ground. We are not going to be sending in the British Army."

Mr Cameron's pledge followed comments by Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, who said the UK's latest involvement in Iraq would likely last "weeks and months".

Mr Fallon had been addressing British troops in Cyprus, as it was revealed UK soldiers had been back on the ground in Iraq for the first time since 2009.

Im Wanted for Hate Crimes in Canada
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsProphecy New Watch
Categories: Today's Headlines;Commentary

It seems I have some liberal knickers in a knot north of the border.

The left is anything if not predictable. It tickles me to no end when, by way of their utterly unhinged reaction to one of my columns, secular-"progressives" end up proving true the very point I was trying to make.

Last month I wrote an opinion piece headlined, "The Coming Christian Revolt." It was featured in multiple publications, including the print edition of the Newfoundland Herald, a weekly news and entertainment magazine circulated throughout Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

Among other things, I noted this objective reality in the piece—a reality demonstrated with crystal clarity by liberals' contemptible response to the column itself: "To fully advance the causes of radical feminism, abortion-on-demand, unfettered sexual license, 'gay marriage' and the like, the pagan left must do away with religious free exercise altogether [not to mention free speech].

"Under the guise of 'anti-discrimination,' Christians today face discrimination at unprecedented levels. ...

"Christians," I continued, "true Christians—regenerate, Bible-believing Christians who strive their level best to maintain fidelity to the word of God and honor His commands—will not, indeed cannot, participate in, approve of, facilitate or encourage certain behaviors deemed by the Holy Scriptures to be immoral or sinful.

"It is not done from hate. It is not done from bigotry. It is done neither from a position of superiority nor a desire to 'impose our beliefs' upon others.

"It is done from both obedience to Christ and compassion for our fellow fallen who yet wallow in folly. ...

"In the ongoing culture war, it seems there are no rules of engagement. The secular left will accept nothing short of unconditional surrender. That is to say, the pagans demand that we Christians abandon the biblical worldview altogether, and adopt their own.

"This will never happen."

You could have timed their response with a stopwatch. Want to see a collectivist conniption? Drop an unvarnished truth bomb in the middle of Canada, most of Europe or blue-state USA and sit back for the mouth-frothing. It's quite a show. The bright light of salty truth both blinds and burns those given over to reprobation.

CBC News, the "largest news broadcaster in Canada," reported on both my column and the ensuing response: "Members of a Newfoundland and Labrador Pride group were so outraged about a two-page anti-gay [read: Christian] letter to the editor published by an entertainment magazine in the province, they filed a human rights complaint."

Several other "gay-rights" organizations have since picked up their pitchforks and joined the mob. Remzi Cej of Canada's "Human Rights Commission" (something between a Star Chamber and a kangaroo court, but without that level of credibility) said, "he's disappointed that the Herald has cited 'free speech' as justification for publishing the opposing view" (because, of course, to the leftist, free speech is only "free" when it's speech with which they agree).

CBC News continued: "In its Aug. 3-9 issue, The Newfoundland Herald published 'The Coming Christian Revolt' in its Letters to the Editor section."

"The letter is a blog post from author and right-wing American blogger Matt Barber, who published the piece on his own website, barbwire.com, last month.

"In the letter, Barber took direct aim at a number of topics, including abortion and gay marriage.

"Western Pride NL member Kyle Curlew, who initiated filing the complaint, said his 'jaw dropped' when he first saw the two-page letter.

"'I couldn't even believe that it was published in the Herald. It was a rallying call for people to stand against LGBT rights. Essentially, hate propaganda,' Curlew told CBC.

"Curlew said after reading the letter, he decided to take the matter to police.

"'We filed a human-rights complaint under C-46, Section 19, which is 'propaganda and the incitement of hate toward an identifiable group.' So we are hoping to press charges.'"

The Telegram, another mainstream Canadian publication, further reported that both my column and the fact that the Newfoundland Herald published it each constitute "a hate crime under the Criminal Code of Canada." 

Indeed, the self-styled champions of "tolerance" and "diversity" prove, over and again, to be the most intolerant and monolithic among us. Their version of "intolerance" (i.e., any philosophical position that runs afoul of the rigid dictates of "political correctness") simply will not be tolerated.

The left is a walking paradox. It is irony personified. While liberals' complete lack of self-awareness, self-righteous snobbery, aloof emotionalism and obtuse circular reasoning make them an easy target for ridicule, these things quickly move from curious to dangerous when they control the reins of government.

Back in April, my good friend and pro-family advocate Peter LaBarbera and his Canadian Christian host Bill Whatcott were arrested in Regina, Saskatchewan, for preaching the Gospel on a university campus. When they began calmly and peacefully sharing about biblical sexual morality and the abortion holocaust, police were called and LaBarbera spent two days in jail. He now faces potential prison time when he returns in October for his trial. 

As for the Newfoundland Herald's publication of my column, Managing Editor Pam Pardy-Ghent told CBC News, "We have received so much feedback on this letter, more than we have ever received before on any matter or topic. This is obviously something, and rightfully so, that has infuriated a number of people, and has inspired them to reach out to us.

"We will be responding to this issue-–and running many of the responses we have received--in the next, and in future editions of The Newfoundland Herald. While free speech is very important to us, being responsive and responsible to the people of this province is as well."

Iceland Raises Bardarbunga Volcano Alert to Orange
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsBBC
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

The risk of an eruption at Iceland's Bardarbunga volcano has increased, with signs of "ongoing magma movement", Iceland's meteorological office says.

The risk level to the aviation industry has been raised to orange, the second-highest level, the met office said.

Any eruption could potentially lead to flooding or an emission of gas, the office added in a statement.

The Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted in 2010, producing an ash cloud that severely disrupted European airspace.

The Bardarbunga volcanic system is located under the north-west region of Iceland's Vatnajokull glacier.

'Strongest earthquake'

"Intense seismic activity" began at the volcano on 16 August, and there was a strong earthquake in the region early on Monday, the met office said.

"This is the strongest earthquake measured in the region since 1996.

"Presently there are no signs of eruption, but it cannot be excluded that the current activity will result in an explosive subglacial eruption, leading to an outburst flood and ash emission," the met office said, adding that the situation was being monitored.

The aviation colour codes are used to indicate the level of risk a volcano poses to air travel.

An orange alert indicates that a volcano is showing "escalating unrest with increased potential of eruption", or is erupting without any major volcanic ash emissions.

A red alert means that an eruption is "imminent", or is underway with "significant emission of volcanic ash into the atmosphere".

The ash cloud produced by the 2010 Eyjafjallajokull eruption led to hundreds of thousands of passengers being affected by flight restrictions.

Hamas Hints Responsibility for Rocket Breach
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Shortly after Gaza terrorists breached the ceasefire Monday eight hours ahead of its midnight deadline, a Hamas spokesperson has obliquely hinted responsibility for the three rockets fired towards Be'er Sheva.

"If Israel wants calm, it must answer to the demands and rights of the Palestinians," said Hamas spokesperson Moshir al-Masri.

The statement suggests the rockets may have been a threat to press Israel to cave in to the Hamas demands, which include releasing terrorists as well as a Gaza sea and airport, among other points that may potentially be disastrous to Israel's security.

Indeed, Hamas has already declared that it is holding the truce talks with Israel being held "at gunpoint," and elaborated that any truce agreement would only be so as to plan the next terror war on Israeli citizens.

Al-Masri's comments came roughly the same time that Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri denied that the rockets, of which two hit open ground near Be'er Sheva and the third struck near Netivot, were even fired at all.

"We don't have any information about firing rockets from Gaza. The Israeli raids are intended to abort the negotiations in Cairo," Abu Zuhri told AFP.

Exposing his statement as false, Israeli police have already released pictures of the hole in the ground caused by one of the recent rockets.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon ordered the Israeli delegation to return home from the Cairo truce talks shortly after the ceasefire breach.

Supporting this move, Interior Minister Gideon Sa'ar (Likud) said Tuesday "the negotiations with Hamas don't serve the security interests of Israel, and there is no point in continuing them."

Sa'ar's comments echo those of Eshkol Regional Council head Chaim Yelin, who stated of the rockets "who expected anything else? This is the language of Hamas. A language that for 14 years the state of Israel apparently hasn't understood."

Regarding Hamas's involvement in the rocket fire, an unnamed security source told Walla! that the rocket attack was in fact ordered directly by Hamas's Qatar-based head Khaled Meshaal.

The source claimed Meshaal had bypassed Hamas's official "military wing", the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, and ordered a specially-assigned unit of Hamas operatives answerable directly to him to launch the attack so as to disrupt the faltering truce talks.

Hamas Denies Rockets Were Fired from Gaza
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Hamas is denying that they launched rockets from Gaza into Israel on Tuesday.

None of the other terrorist organizations active in the Gaza Strip have taken responsibility for the rockets either.

Expert Proposes: 'Don't Fire Back, Cut Gaza Supplies'
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

The Institute for National Security Studies head Maj. Gen. (res.) Giora Eiland on Tuesday criticized Israel's policy of retaliatory airstrikes to Hamas rocket attacks, instead proposing a novel idea - responding to missiles by cutting off supplies.

As terrorists in the Hamas enclave of Gaza renewed their rocket barrage on Tuesday afternoon in breach of the ceasefire, Eiland told Channel 2 that the current burst of terror does not necessarily mean Hamas wants to return to full combat.

Rather, the general suggested that Hamas possibly intends to accompany the Cairo truce talks with rocket fire so as to strengthen its hand in the talks.

Supporting this appraisal, Hamas spokesperson Moshir al-Masri hinted his group's possible responsibility for the rockets as a strategic ploy, saying shortly after the first salvo "if Israel wants calm, it must answer to the demands and rights of the Palestinians."

Eiland criticized the current Israeli policy of responding to missile attacks with limited airstrikes on terror targets, a policy employed Tuesday after the initial salvo, and which he argued was ineffective.

Instead of this tactic, Eiland offered a new strategem - every time Gaza terrorists fire a rocket on Israel, according to the proposed policy, Israel would cut the transfer of supplies to the Hamas enclave.

"You don't give supplies to someone who is firing on you, that's an accepted fact between countries," noted Eiland.

Even in the midst of Operation Protective Edge, Israel continued to transfer supplies to the Hamas stronghold. It also continued supplying electricity needed to fire rockets, even though the PA, which buys electricity for Gaza, owes Israel 1.5 billion shekels ($525 million) in unpaid electric bills.

The general reasoned "we need to stop separating Hamas from the civilian population in the (Gaza) Strip and understand that it's a country, and Hamas is the authentic representative of the population in Gaza."

To cut supplies would not be a severe humanitarian breach, says Eiland, since Hamas always has the option to stop firing rockets.

"It's not that you're doing it unilaterally, you tell them 'stop firing and everything will be fine,'" said Eiland. "These (response) strikes in Gaza don't create deterrence, Hamas is already immune to them."

Several out-of-the-box proposals have been advanced regarding Gaza, such as cutting electricity for a day after every rocket, as well as automatically firing back a randomly aimed rocket for every Gaza rocket.

El - Sisi Chivies Netanyahu for the Idf to Go All the Way and Eradicate Hamas
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily Newsdebkafile
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel

Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was conspicuous by his silence when conflicting announcements of a fresh five-day ceasefire war issued from Cairo after midnight, Wednesday, Aug 13.
And not just because the “truce” was punctuated by renewed Hamas rocket fire.
The Gaza war occasioned a singular development in Mid East political and military history: For the first time, an Arab leader – Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi – put the squeeze on reluctant Israeli politicians – Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon – to apply the Israeli Defense Forces as Egypt’s instrument for crushing an Arab Muslim target.
According to DEBKA Weekly’s military and intelligence sources, this anomaly came out of the uniquely intense ties Sisi and Netanyahu had established, often communing once or twice a day over the secure lines installed by their intelligence agencies.
Late last week, Sisi informed Netanyahu that the Cairo talks for making the latest three-day ceasefire permanent were little more than a formality. Even if further truces were declared under international pressure, the operation for blowing Hamas off the planet must go ahead. Part of the confusion Thursday over the latest truce announcement arose from the Israeli prime minister’s dilemmas over this demand.

Netanyahu feels too pushed by Sisi

After a month of fighting, Netanyahu has caught on to the essential philosophy guiding the former general who now rules Egypt: It is that fundamentalist Islamic foes can only be subdued by military force, and this class of enemy includes the Muslim Brotherhood and its offspring and collaborator, Hamas.
He also read in Sisi’s language an injunction: The IDF has not gone far enough toward hammering Hamas. Therefore, if Netanyahu wants meaningful negotiations with the Hamas rulers of Gaza to end in peace and security for southern Israel, it is up to him to take his military operation all the way and beat Hamas’s political and military leaders into a condition close to capitulation. Only when Hamas is on its knees, will Sisi step in to bring the diplomatic track to success.
The Egyptian ruler did not spell this out in so many words, but our sources report that the prime minister got the message loud and clear. He saw he had reached a crossroads with three options:
1. Go back to fighting Hamas, except that now air strikes would no longer suffice and he would have to send ground troops back into the Gaza Strip.
2. Do nothing, and hope for the best, i.e., that if IDF held its fire, Hamas would reciprocate in kind. But then, Israel would not have served Sisi’s ambition to pummel Hamas into submission and, moreover, southern Israel would be left on tenterhooks about its security.
3. Go for Hamas all out with guns blazing, until the fundamentalists see the light and knuckle under in at least a partial surrender.

A pact for keeping Obama at arm’s length

None of these three options appeals to Netanyahu. On the one hand, he was not keen on doing business with Hamas, while, on the other, he had no wish to be a cat’s paw in the Egyptian president’s game plans.
At the same time, his main, albeit veiled, purpose in forming an alliance with Sisi was to keep the Obama at arm’s length from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and his evolving ties in the Arab world at large.
While maintaining Israel’s close political, economic military and intelligence relationship with Washington as before – and putting a good face on their traditional friendship – the Israeli prime minister has been intent on distancing the Obama administration from his key political and military decision processes.
This policy slotted neatly into the Egyptian ruler’s plans for handling the US administration with care and deference, while at the same time keeping US hands out of his government’s policies, interests and future plans.
Sidelining Washington was and is one of the common factors defining the newborn strategic partnership Cairo and Jerusalem have formed along with Saudi Arabia, as DEBKA Weekly 644 first reported on July 25 (“The Regional Dimension: The Gaza War Against Hamas is Managed by a Troika: Abdullah, Sisi and Netanyahu”).

A major bump in US-Israeli friendship

The 66-year old friendship between Israel and the US has had its share of bumps.
In the Suez War of 1956, Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion went to war on Egypt with Britain and France behind US President Dwight Eisenhower’s back. And on June 7, 1981, Prime Minister Menachem Begin ordered a surprise attack on the Iraqi nuclear reactor near Baghdad, against the express wishes of US President Ronald Reagan.
But this time, Washington and Jerusalem have veered further apart than ever before, although the extent of this rift was not common knowledge in either country.
Netanyahu was well aware that in choosing Abdullah and Sisi over Obama, he’d have to make some allowances for their ideology. It was a bargain he was willing to gamble on for the sake of getting out from under President Barack Obama’s failed steps in the region and the fallout from his outreach to Tehran (see a separate item in this issue on US involvement in Iraq).
Administration officials admitted to the fraying relations with the Israeli leader Thursday by denigrating the performance of Netanyahu and his national security team in the Gaza conflict as “both reckless and untrustworthy.”
He knew there would be a price to pay – and not just in Washington - for throwing in his lot with new Arab partners. But, say DEBKA Weekly’s Jerusalem sources, he didn’t bargain on being pushed into a corner and dictated to by Abdullah and Sisi on the scale and objectives of IDF operations. This privilege had only ever been afforded Washington.

Netanyahu ducks and weaves to avoid all-out ground offensive

From the moment he launched the IDF’s Operation Defensive Edge on July 7 to staunch the Hamas rocket blitz and dismantle its tunnels, the Israeli prime minister has been groping for a way out of this corner. He tried to fix on a tactic of restraint for meting out stiff, deterrent punishment to the rocket throwers, while avoiding a deep troop incursion into the heart of the Gaza Strip for eradicating the Palestinian group – at Sisi’s behest.
On the other hand, he has never clarified whether or not his objective of security for the Israeli population entails Hamas’ eclipse, or some kind of accommodation accompanied by demilitarization, that would leave them in power.
Sisi sought to exploit this haziness to push Israel all the way. When Netanyahu dug in his heels, the Egyptian and Saudi rulers pushed back by steering the Cairo negotiating track into a dead end. This was achieved Monday, Aug. 11, by Egyptian Intelligence Chief Gen. Mohamed Farid El Tohamy presenting both sides in Cairo with working papers that neither side could possibly accept.
By Tuesday night, the prime minister found himself heading into a narrow corridor, which he had hoped to avoid: a new flare-up of Gaza hostilities, to end which the IDF would have no option but to drive deeper than ever before into the Gaza Strip in order to reach Hamas’ centers of power.
By Thursday morning, he appeared to have melted away into the confusion to dodge around this dilemma and avoid the uncertainties of a novel kind of truce laced with rocket fire. His options have dwindled to a major war offensive against Hamas, or living with a war of attrition.

Denmark: 100s March Through Muslim Area to Protest Anti - Semitism
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Hundreds of protesters wearing yarmulkas, Stars of David and other Jewish symbols marched through a predominantly Muslim neighbhorhood of the Danish capital of Copenhagen, in a march against anti-Semitism late last week.

Demonstrators included both Jews and non-Jews, and were protesting an alarming rise in anti-Semitism in the country which, like the rest of Europe, has seen simmering anti-Semitism boil over during the past few weeks as Israeli forces battle terrorists in the Gaza Strip.

Rasmus Yarlov, a Copenhagen city councillor said he joined the march in protest of the fact that the situation in Demark had gotten so bad that Jews were forced to hide their identity to avoid being attacked.

"We need to show that Jewish symbols and Jewish clothing is part of the streets in Copenhagen and should be allowed to move around freely, and not be seen as something that is abnormal and does not belong in the streets," he told CCTV-America news.

The choice of a Muslim neighborhood was due to the fact that the vast majority of anti-Semitism attacks in the Scandinavian country were committed by members of the growing Muslim immigrant community. Across Europe, rising anti-Semitism has been largely fueled by Muslim extremists, and the deadliest anti-Semitic attacks - such as the 2012 Toulouse Massacre and the recent shooting at the Brussels Jewish Museum - have been committed by radical Islamists.

European Muslims have often been accused of making no distinction between opposing Israeli policies and anti-Semitism. And the small group of Muslim pro-Palestinian protesters who turned out as part of a counter-protest appeared unfazed by the fact that their actions - aimed at a march protesting anti-Semitism - illustrated just that.

Counter-protesters, wearing keffiyehs and waving PLO flags, branded the march "provocative", with one woman claimed "that these people are supporting the genocide down in Palestine and that is definitely unacceptable."

Jewish community leader Jonatan Sousa, strongly disagreed with the assertion that the protest was provocative.

"No, it is definitely not provocative. calling this provocative is provocative in and of itself," he said.

"I'm not doing anything wrong! But the wrongfulness here is that I have to be scared. Somehow, walking with Jewish symbols I should have to be scared - that is the wrong thing, that is the provocative thing.

Christian Zionists Worldwide Tell Israel: 'You're not Alone'
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

A soulful country music video has been produced by members of the American Christian organization HaYovel, which declares resoundingly in line with its title: "Israel, You're Not Alone."

The song is written by Zac Waller, a leader of HaYovel who wanted to do something to help Israel. He put that desire into expression in a top-quality Nashville, Tennessee recording studio.

"Israel, You're Not Alone" was filmed in downtown Nashville and rural Franklin, Tennessee in less than half a day.

HaYovel then reached out to Christians worldwide, enlisting them in the project by having them film themselves with signs showing their firm support for Israel. In just a short time, videos came in from the UK, America, Australia, South Africa and Canada.

The filming in Tennessee was conducted just two days before Waller and roughly 500 American Christian volunteers were scheduled to fly to Israel to support farmers in Judea and Samaria.

Arutz Sheva recently got the chance to sit down and talk with Waller, who declared his group would not be cancelling their trip to Israel in light of ongoing fighting with Gazan terrorist groups: "Right now is the most important time to support Israel."

Ceasefire on the Brink: Gaza Terrorists Fire Rockets, Mortars
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Roughly two-and-a-half hours after three rockets were fired at Be'er Sheva from the Hamas enclave of Gaza on Tuesday in breach of the ceasefire agreed between the sides, terrorists in the area reportedly continued their fire on Israel.

There are conflicting reports as to whether mortar shells or a rocket hit open ground in the Sedot Negev Regional Council area; there were no injuries or damage reported in the attack.

All reports agree that rocket sirens were not sounded in the area before the attack hit.

Just minutes after the Sedot Negev strike, "Color Red" rocket sirens were sounded in Netivot and the Gaza Belt area. Iron Dome reportedly shot down two missiles over Netivot. A third rocket reportedly hit open ground in the Sedot Negev region.

As the terrorists renew their attacks, a troubling pattern has been observed in the rocket warning sirens.

In the first round of three rockets on Be'er Sheva no sirens were sounded ahead of the strikes. Shortly afterwards sirens were sounded in the Eshkol Regional Council area, only for the IDF to clarify that the sirens were a false alarm.

Meanwhile, the chief Palestinian negotiator conducting indirect talks with Israel for a long-term Gaza truce said there had been "no progress," with less than five hours to go before a temporary ceasefire expires. The Palestinian delegations presented their demands for a truce to Egyptian mediators and were awaiting Israel's response, said the official, Azzam al-Ahmed.

Bracing for the next round

Thousands of Arab Gaza residents have reportedly begun fleeing their homes in eastern Gaza City after the rocket breach and IAF retaliatory airstrikes, reports AFP.

One reporter for the French news agency stated that hundreds of residents were leaving the Shejaiya neighborhood, where some reports indicated the initial rocket fire had emanated from. Thousands more were leaving Zeitoun and Shaaf, according to witnesses.

Hamas has not claimed responsibility for the renewed barrage of fire on Israeli civilian centers, but Hamas spokesperson Moshir al-Masri hinted responsibility in saying "if Israel wants calm, it must answer to the demands and rights of the Palestinians."

The statement appears to suggest the rockets were fired by Hamas to try and press Israel to submit to its demands, which include releasing terrorists, as well as allow the establishment of a Gaza sea and airport.

Indeed, Hamas has already declared that it is holding the truce talks with Israel being held "at gunpoint," and elaborated that any truce agreement would only be so as to plan the next terror war on Israeli citizens.

Ceasefire in Tatters: Gaza Terrorists Renew Rocket War on Israel
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Roughly two-and-a-half hours after three rockets were fired at Be'er Sheva from the Hamas enclave of Gaza on Tuesday in breach of the ceasefire agreed between the sides, terrorists in the area reportedly continued their fire on Israel.

There are conflicting reports as to whether mortar shells or a rocket hit open ground in the Sedot Negev Regional Council area; there were no injuries or damage reported in the attack.

All reports agree that rocket sirens were not sounded in the area before the attack hit.

Just minutes after the Sedot Negev strike, "Color Red" rocket sirens were sounded in Netivot and the Gaza Belt area. Iron Dome reportedly shot down two missiles over Netivot. A third rocket reportedly hit open ground in the Sedot Negev region.

Just after 8 p.m. another rocket reportedly struck open ground in the Ashdod region, causing no damage or injuries; minutes later rocket warning sirens sounded for the Hof Ashkelon Region area, right before a rocket slammed into open ground in the region.

Another rocket hit the same area shortly before 9:30 p.m., landing in a shopping center and reportedly causing damage but no injuries.

As the terrorists renewed their attacks, a troubling pattern was observed in the rocket warning sirens.

In the first round of three rockets on Be'er Sheva no sirens were sounded ahead of the strikes. Shortly afterwards sirens were sounded in the Eshkol Regional Council area, only for the IDF to clarify that the sirens were a false alarm.

In all, a total of eight rockets had been fired from Gaza Tuesday, with six falling on Israeli territory and two intercepted by the Iron Dome, according to the IDF.

Meanwhile, the chief Palestinian negotiator conducting indirect talks with Israel for a long-term Gaza truce said there had been "no progress," with less than five hours to go before a temporary ceasefire expires. The Palestinian delegations presented their demands for a truce to Egyptian mediators and were awaiting Israel's response, said the official, Azzam al-Ahmed.

"There has been no progress," he said of Tuesday's talks. "Matters have become more complicated."

Bracing for the next round

Thousands of Arab Gaza residents have reportedly begun fleeing their homes in eastern Gaza City after the rocket breach and IAF retaliatory airstrikes, reports AFP.

One reporter for the French news agency stated that hundreds of residents were leaving the Shejaiya neighborhood, where some reports indicated the initial rocket fire had emanated from. Thousands more were leaving Zeitoun and Shaaf, according to witnesses.

Hamas has not claimed responsibility for the renewed barrage of fire on Israeli civilian centers, but Hamas spokesperson Moshir al-Masri hinted responsibility in saying "if Israel wants calm, it must answer to the demands and rights of the Palestinians."

The statement appears to suggest the rockets were fired by Hamas to try and press Israel to submit to its demands, which include releasing terrorists, as well as allow the establishment of a Gaza sea and airport.

Indeed, Hamas has already declared that it is holding the truce talks with Israel being held "at gunpoint," and elaborated that any truce agreement would only be so as to plan the next terror war on Israeli citizens.

Boston PD Tested Facial Recognition Software on Every Face At Local Music Festivals
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsProphecy New Watch
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Concertgoers at last year’s annual Boston Calling music festivals weren’t just there to watch the show — they were watched themselves as test subjects for Boston police’ new facial recognition technology, which reportedly analyzed every attendee at the May and September two-day events.

Employees at IBM — the outside contractor involved in deploying the tech alongside Boston Police — planned the test of its Smart Surveillance System and Intelligent Video Analytics to execute “face capture” on “every person” at the concerts in 2013. Targets were reportedly described “as anyone who walks through the door,” according to company memos obtained by Dig Boston.

Using 10 cameras capable of intelligent video analysis, police and IBM captured thousands of faces and scanned individuals for details including skin color, height and clothing to screen for possible forensic identification. The tech also watched traffic and crowd congestion, searched for suspicious objects and monitored social media in real-time.

Attendees and promoters were wholly unaware of the test, which was conducted amid a slew of media and photographers regularly in attendance and during a public event where the expectation of privacy is at a minimum. Sensitive documents detailing the program were found unsecured online, where they’ve reportedly been accessible for more than a year.

The images, video and information obtained by the program will be kept for months and years — even after the sorting process deems it irrelevant — and more than 50 hours of video footage from the events are still intact, according to the report.

Other data stored online by Boston police in unsecured servers include drivers’ licenses, addresses, parking permit information and more.

Boston PD initially denied any involvement in the programs’ deployment on May 25-26 and Sept. 7-8 at City Hall Plaza, stating in an email from a representative that “BPD was not part of this initiative.”

“We do not and have not used or possess this type of technology,” the department wrote to Dig.

Files on the program uncovered online include photographic evidence showing Boston PD present inside IBM’s program monitoring stations and receiving instruction on how to use the tech. When presented with this evidence, Boston officials admitted the city’s direct involvement.

“The city of Boston engaged in a pilot program with IBM, testing situational awareness software for two events hosted on City Hall Plaza: Boston Calling in May 2013, and Boston Calling in September 2013,” Boston Mayor Marty Walsh press secretary Kate Norton wrote in an email to the publication.

Read more at http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/2014/August19/192.html#Iz0xbgxvSVSzkjM3.99

Abbas Orders Probe Into Hamas Coup Plot Revealed By Israel
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsThe Times of Israel
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

PA president says busted cell in West Bank, Jerusalem a threat to Palestinian unity, region; 93 arrests made, Shin Bet says, thwarting Hamas preparations for 3rd intifada

A handout picture released by the Palestinian Authority president's office shows Mahmoud Abbas (right) in a meeting with the head of the political bureau of Hamas, Khaled Mashaal, in Doha, on July 20, 2014. (photo credit: AFP/PPO/Thaer Ghanem)

14 Reasons Why the U.S. Economys Bubble of False Prosperity May be About to Burst
Aug 19th, 2014
Daily NewsProphecy New Watch
Categories: Today's Headlines;Commentary

Did you know that a major event just happened in the financial markets that we have not seen since the financial crisis of 2008? If you rely on the mainstream media for your news, you probably didn't even hear about it. Just prior to the last stock market crash, a massive amount of money was pulled out of junk bonds. 

Now it is happening again. In fact, as you will read about below, the market for high yield bonds just experienced "a 6-sigma event". But this is not the only indication that the U.S. economy could be on the verge of very hard times. Retail sales are extremely disappointing, mortgage applications are at a 14 year low and growing geopolitical storms around the world have investors spooked. 

For a long time now, we have been enjoying a period of relative economic stability even though our underlying economic fundamentals continue to get even worse. Unfortunately, there are now a bunch of signs that this period of relative stability is about to end. The following are 14 reasons why the U.S. economy's bubble of false prosperity may be about to burst...

#1 The U.S. junk bond market just experienced "a 6-sigma event" earlier this month. In other words, it is an event that is only supposed to have a chance of 1 in 500 million of happening. Billions of dollars are being pulled out of junk bonds right now, and that has some analysts wondering if a financial crash is right around the corner.

#2 The last time that we saw a junk bond rout of this magnitude was back during the financial crash of 2008. In fact, as the Telegraph recently explained, bonds usually crash before stocks do...

The credit market usually leads the equity market during turning points, as happened when credit markets cracked first in 2008.
Will the same thing happen this time around?

#3 Retail sales have missed expectations for three months in a row and we just had the worst reading since January.

#4 Things have gotten so bad that even Wal-Mart is really struggling. Same-store sales at Wal-Mart have declined for five quarters in a row and the outlook for the future is not particularly promising.

#5 The four week moving average for mortgage applications just hit a 14 year low. It is now even lower than it was during the worst moments of the financial crisis of 2008.

#6 The tech industry is supposed to be booming, but mass layoffs in the tech industry are actually 68 percent ahead of last year's pace.

#7 According to the Federal Reserve, 40 percent of all households in the United States are currently showing signs of financial stress.

#8 The U.S. homeownership rate has fallen to the lowest level since 1995.

#9 According to one survey, 76 percent of Americans do not have enough money saved to cover six months of expenses.

#10 Rumblings of a stock market correction have become so loud that even the mainstream media is reporting on it. For example, just check out this CNN headline from earlier this month: "Is a correction near? Wall Street on edge".

#11 The civil war in Iraq is spiraling out of control, and Barack Obama has just announced that he is going to send 130 troops to the country in a "humanitarian" capacity. Iraq is the 7th largest oil producing nation on the entire planet, and if the flow of oil is disrupted that could have serious consequences.

#12 As a result of the conflict in Ukraine, the United States, Canada and the European Union have slapped sanctions on Russia. In return, Russia has slapped sanctions on them. Will this slowdown in global trade significantly harm the U.S. economy?

#13 The three day cease-fire between Hamas and Israel is about to end, and Hamas officials are saying that they are preparing for a "long battle". If a resolution is not found soon, we could potentially see a full-blown regional war erupt in the Middle East.

#14 The number of Ebola deaths continues to grow at an exponential rate, and if the virus starts spreading inside the United States it has the potential to pretty much shut down our entire economy.

Meanwhile, things look even more dire in much of the rest of the globe.

For example, the economic slowdown has gotten so bad in some nations over in Europe that they are actually experiencing deflation...

Portugal has crashed into deep deflation and Italy’s inflation rate has fallen to zero as the eurozone flirts with recession, automatically pushing these countries further towards a debt compound spiral.

The slide comes amid signs of a deepening slowdown in the eurozone core, with even Germany flirting with possible recession. Germany’s ZEW index of investor confidence plunged from 27.1 to 8.6 in July, the sharpest fall since June 2012, during the European sovereign debt crisis. “The European Central Bank has to act now,” said Andrew Roberts, credit chief at RBS.
And in Japan, GDP just contracted at a 6.8 percent annual rate during the second quarter...

Japan's economy suffered its worst contraction since 2011 in the second quarter as consumer spending on big items slumped in the wake of a sales tax rise.

Gross domestic product shrunk by an annualized 6.8% in the three months ended June, Japan's Cabinet Office said Wednesday. The result was actually better than the 7% contraction expected by economists.

On a quarterly basis, Japan's GDP dropped by 1.7% as business and housing investment declined. Japan's economy last suffered a hit of this magnitude after the 2011 tsunami and nuclear disaster.
There is no way that this bubble of false prosperity was going to last forever. It was never real to begin with. It was just based on a pyramid of debt and false promises. In fact, the condition of the global financial system is now far worse than it was just prior to the financial crisis of 2008.

Sadly, most people do not understand these things. Most people just assume that our leaders have fixed whatever caused the problems last time. And when the next crisis arrives, they will be totally blindsided by it.