Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

Ukrainian FM: 'We Want Israeli Drones'
Oct 23rd, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Ukraine's Pavlo Klimkin, Binyamin Netanyahu

Haim Zach/FLASH90

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin on Thursday gave an interview to Israel's Knesset Channel, in which he said his nation is interested in expanding military ties with the Jewish state.

"We spoke about the importing of drones from Israel," said Klimkin after meeting Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and other officials. "That's really important in the supervision framework of the ceasefire (with pro-Russian separatists), but we are speaking with many countries about that and countries in the European Union in particular."

Klimkin continued "today we are holding a special cooperation with France and Italy. Therefore the topic of drones is not so controversial as it was two or three months ago when everything started."

Ukraine has been gripped by violence since its Russian-backed President Viktor Yanukovich was ousted last winter in a popular movement from the streets pushing for closer ties with the EU. That tension spiraled further after a de facto Russian military invasion of Crimea, and votes in several territories to separate from Ukraine and side with Russia.

The call for Israeli drones by Klimkin comes after reports last month that a proposed sale of Israeli weapons - including drones - to Ukraine had been blocked over fear of antagonizing Russia.

A Ukrainian delegation had visited Israel to acquire military hardware including drones to use against pro-Russian separatists, said the report on Channel Two. It said the Defense Ministry had approved the sale only to have the Foreign Ministry veto it for fear of such a move causing Russia to sell more weapons to Iran and Syria.

Ukraine and pro-Russian separatists signed a ceasefire on September 5, with tensions frequently threatening to spill over again since then.

Ukrainian FM: 'We Want Israeli Drones'

After deal for Israeli military hardware reported canned last month over Russian pressure, visiting Ukrainian diplomat makes another call.

By Hezki Ezra, Ari Yashar

First Publish: 10/23/2014, 7:30 PM

Ukraine's Pavlo Klimkin, Binyamin Netanyahu

Haim Zach/FLASH90

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin on Thursday gave an interview to Israel's Knesset Channel, in which he said his nation is interested in expanding military ties with the Jewish state.

"We spoke about the importing of drones from Israel," said Klimkin after meeting Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and other officials. "That's really important in the supervision framework of the ceasefire (with pro-Russian separatists), but we are speaking with many countries about that and countries in the European Union in particular."

Klimkin continued "today we are holding a special cooperation with France and Italy. Therefore the topic of drones is not so controversial as it was two or three months ago when everything started."

Ukraine has been gripped by violence since its Russian-backed President Viktor Yanukovich was ousted last winter in a popular movement from the streets pushing for closer ties with the EU. That tension spiraled further after a de facto Russian military invasion of Crimea, and votes in several territories to separate from Ukraine and side with Russia.

The call for Israeli drones by Klimkin comes after reports last month that a proposed sale of Israeli weapons - including drones - to Ukraine had been blocked over fear of antagonizing Russia.

A Ukrainian delegation had visited Israel to acquire military hardware including drones to use against pro-Russian separatists, said the report on Channel Two. It said the Defense Ministry had approved the sale only to have the Foreign Ministry veto it for fear of such a move causing Russia to sell more weapons to Iran and Syria.

Ukraine and pro-Russian separatists signed a ceasefire on September 5, with tensions frequently threatening to spill over again since then.

Solar Storms Result in Sunspot As Big As Earth
Oct 23rd, 2014
Daily NewsMail Oline
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

First solar storm from huge sunspot reaches Earth and knocks out satellites - and more could be on their way

Solar radiation knocked out some radio communication on Earth yesterday.  It came from a giant sunspot seen on the surface of the sun recently Sunspot AR12192 is 14 times larger than Earth and almost as big as Jupiter.  The Met Office tells MailOnline it might be the largest sunspot in 25 years.  It is so big that it can be seen in images of the sun from Earth's surface.  This particular flare from the sunspot was brief but strong It follows three days of severe storms on the sun.  'It would seem to be just a matter of time before another strong explosion occurs,' said spaceweather.com's Tony Phillips

A monster storm on the sun's surface has unleashed a solar flare in the direction of Earth - and there could be more to come.

The event temporarily blacked out a few radio communication systems before weakening.

The storm came from a large group of sunspots and hit Earth between 10 am and 11 am EDT (2pm and 3pm BST) yesterday.

Yesterday's flare was an X1.6, which is a million times the combined yield of every single nuclear weapon on Earth.

'The sun erupted with another significant flare today, peaking at 10:28 a.m. EDT on Oct. 22, 2014,' revealed Nasa.

'Nasa’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured images of the event, which occurred in the lower half of the sun.

'This flare is classified as an X1.6 class flare.

'X-class flares denote the most extreme flares.

'This is the third substantial flare from the same region of the sun since Oct. 19.'

Dr Young of Nasa’s Goddard Space Flight Center added: ‘It continues to grow in size and complexity.'

According to experts at thesuntoday.org, 'As of Oct. 22, 2014 (11 UT) the region’s trailing spots have an area of 2410 MH or millionths of a visible solar hemisphere.

'The largest up until now had been AR11967 on Feb. 5, 2014, measuring 1580 MH. MH is a standard measure used by astronomers for area.

'Just to provide some scale, the surface area of Earth is 169 MH - this means that AR12192 is 14 times larger than the surface area of Earth.'

PA Threatens 'This will not Last Beyond November'
Oct 23rd, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Saeb Erekat

Miriam Alster/ Flash 90

Palestinian Authority (PA) chief negotiator Saeb Erekat on Thursday said his organization will push its unilateral UN effort to have Israel withdraw from Judea and Samaria by 2016 in November, after US warnings postponed such a push from October.

"If he (Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu) believes that he can sustain the status quo and (that) we'll do that for him, forget him. This will not last beyond November... we will not take it any more, business as usual no more," Erekat told AFP in Ramallah.

Erekat's flouting of US warnings not to take unilateral action comes despite the PA's dependence on American funding to prop up its economy that is bogged in massive debt.

Recalling a meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry in Cairo this month, Erekat said "I don't know if he (Kerry) used the term veto, (but) he said the Security Council is not an option. He was very clear with me."

The plan would consist of asking the UN Security Council to declare "Palestine" a state and push Israel to abandon its Biblical heartland of Judea, Samaria and eastern Jerusalem, with an American veto able to stop the move that requires the support of all 15 member states.

International antagonism to Israel has been building around the move, with the UK this month passing a non-binding resolution to recognize "Palestine," after Sweden made a similar statement days earlier.

Another threat the PA has been holding in front of Israel is to join the International Criminal Court (ICC) and sue Israel for "war crimes."

"The state of Palestine has the full intention...(to) become a member of the ICC," Erekat said.

It has been assessed that such a move could be like shooting itself in the foot for the PA, as being an ICC member would open the possibility of the PA being sued for its rampant support of terror and human rights abuses.

Obama Admin to Brief Goodlatte on Immigrant Id 'Surge'
Oct 23rd, 2014
Daily NewsBreitbart
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

With questions swirling about the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ solicitation for material to create millions of new immigrant IDs and work permits, the agency has agreed to brief House Judiciary Committee staff, Breitbart News has learned. 

Breitbart first reported Sunday that USCIS has issued a draft solicitation for vendors that can supply the materials necessary for millions of Permanent Residency Cards (PRC) and Employment Authorization Documentation (EAD) “to support possible future immigration reform initiative requirements.”

Monday, House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) revealed that his staff have demanded a briefing. 

“It is alarming that the Obama Administration seems to be silently forging ahead with its plan to unilaterally grant millions of unlawful immigrants legal status and work authorization,” Goodlatte said at the time.

A House Judiciary aide confirmed to Breitbart News Wednesday that the agency has agreed to brief the committee staff but noted such a meeting has not yet happened. The aide did not provide any information about when the briefing will occur.

With President Obama poised to take executive actions on immigration after the midterm election, White House Press Secretary John Earnest faced a barrage of questions Wednesday from reporters about the USCIS solicitation. 

Earnest denied — to skeptical reporters — that the order provided hints about Obama’s executive action plans.

Nevertheless, many questions remain about the solicitation which explained the agency is looking for a contractor that can handle a “surge” of 9 million ID cards in a single year and up to 34 million cards for the entire contract. 

“The Contractor shall demonstrate the capability to support potential 'surge' in PRC and EAD card demand for up to 9M cards during the initial period of performance to support possible future immigration reform initiative requirements,” the solicitation reads.

Military Members in Quebec Urged not to Wear Uniforms When Off Duty
Oct 23rd, 2014
Daily NewsCBC News
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Military members in Quebec are being advised not to wear their uniforms in public unless they are on official duty, but it was not immediately clear whether the advice applied to members across the country.

CBC News could not reach military officials to confirm whether any instructions around military uniforms had been given to members across the country following shootings in Ottawa Wednesday that killed a military reservist from Hamilton who was standing guard at the National War Memorial.

"Our thoughts are with the member and the member's family at this time," Maj.-Gen. Christopher Coates said Wednesday afternoon at a news conference about the shootings in Ottawa.

Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Tom Lawson issued a statement late Wednesday expressing "heartfelt condolences" to the victim’s family.

He said that the shooting is still under investigation and that the Canadian Forces will "continue to collaborate" with the government to assess the situation and evaluate the need for "additional security measures" at armed forces sites in the capital area and around the country.  

CFB Valcartier public affairs officer Capt. Marie-France Poulin said that military personnel across Quebec have been told not to wear their uniforms in public places unless they are on official duty.

The instruction applied to members in Quebec, but Poulin would not comment on whether it extended across the country.

CBC's Chris Brown visited navy facilities in Victoria on Wednesday.

"We were out at the gates about half an hour ago, and I can tell you I did see a lot of soldiers and sailors coming and going in their uniform," he said. "At least from what I could see, that didn't seem to have changed so much."

Brown said he did see several military police keeping a close eye on the entrance at CFB Esquimalt.

Cadet training cancelled

CBC’s Robyn Miller reported Wednesday evening that the commanding officer with Stratford Army Cadets said all cadet training programs on P.E.I. and across Atlantic Canada have been cancelled today.

Canadian Forces bases in Halifax also have heightened security measures. Capt. Peter Ryan of Maritime Forces Atlantic said gates to the waterfront navy base, the air base and other bases in the city have been locked.

He said other measures can't be discussed in order to ensure the safety and security of military personnel.

Ryan said the security measures aren't in response to any local incidents.

A source in the Defence Department told The Canadian Press instructions were also sent by email on behalf of Rear Admiral John Newton to personnel advising them to avoid appearing in uniform in public places.

The source confirmed that the message from Newton, commander of Maritime Forces Atlantic Joint Task Force Atlantic, asked staff "to restrict movement in uniform in public as much as possible."

Let the Headlines Speak
Oct 23rd, 2014
Daily NewsFrom the internet
Categories: Today's Headlines;Commentary

Bond funds stock up on Treasuries in prep for market shock
U.S. corporate bond funds this year are adding Treasuries to their holdings at more than twice the rate of corporate debt amid concern that the struggling European economy and potential changes in Federal Reserve policy will drag down profits at U.S. corporations. Through September, corporate bond portfolios boosted their holdings of U.S. government debt by 15 percent, compared with a 6.5 percent increase in corporate bonds during the same period.  

WHO: Ebola Responsible for More Than 4,800 Deaths
Ebola is now believed to have killed more than 4,800 people globally and that the spread of the lethal virus remains “persistent and widespread” in West Africa. In a new update issued on Wednesday, WHO said there have been 9,936 probable, suspected and confirmed cases of Ebola, mostly in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. It said transmission remains “intense” in the capital cities and that cases continue to be under reported.  

Abu Mazen’s View of Peace & Dual Existence
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) has ordered a stricter law to prevent any of his residents from selling land to Jews. Anyone who is convicted of such a crime will now face life in prison with hard labor and this includes not only selling land, but renting to anyone from an “enemy state”, which includes first and foremost, Israel.  

Climate change PROVED to be 'nothing but a lie', claims top meteorologist
THE debate about climate change is finished - because it has been categorically proved NOT to exist, one of the world's leading meteorologists has claimed. John Coleman, who co-founded the Weather Channel, shocked academics by insisting the theory of man-made climate change was no longer scientifically credible. Instead, what 'little evidence' there is for rising global temperatures points to a 'natural phenomenon' within a developing eco-system.  

SUNSET SOLAR ECLIPSE--TODAY!
On Thursday, Oct. 23rd, the Moon will pass in front of the sun, off center, producing a partial solar eclipse visible from almost all of North America.  

LOTS OF SOLAR FLARES
Solar activity is high. Since the week began, giant sunspot AR2192 has produced 27 C-class solar flares, 8 M-class flares, and 2 X-flares. Earth-effects could increase in the days ahead. AR2192 has an unstable 'beta-gamma-delta' magnetic field that harbors energy for powerful explosions, and the active region is turning toward Earth.  

It’s Like a Gang Land Initiation
The west has become so hostile to God and His Son that many western elites would rather spend their time calling Christians bigots than deal with the threat that is Islam in areas where the Islamic population has grown substantively enough to impact local cultures.  

With 12 Days to Go, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce Wants Republican Leaders to Oppose Religious Liberty
Georgia’s Republicans need every vote they can muster, but conservatives need some immediate assurances the GOP will support religious liberty protections in return for a vote. As you know, the federal government has a Religious Freedom Restoration Act. It is that very act that saved Hobby Lobby from being forced to pay for abortions. It was that very act that saved Catholic charities from having to violate their religious faith in the name of Obamacare.  

Global Surge Of Great Earthquakes From 2004-2014
The past ten years have been a remarkable time for great earthquakes with 18 quakes of Mw8.0 or greater since December 2004, which is a rate of more than twice that seen from 1900 to mid-2004. “What we've seen is that we can have multiple faults activated,” said Lay. “We've seen it off Sumatra and off Japan. Once earthquakes get going they can activate faulting in areas that were thought not physically feasible.”  

Two minor earthquakes detected in SW Montana
Ten earthquakes have shook western Montana in the last seven days and 33 in the last 30 days.  

Earthquake Shakes Southern Nevada
Given the series of quakes between Tuesday and Wednesday across the border in California, however, some are wondering if there may be more to come or if this is a continuation of this series of quakes.  

4.5 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE HITS WESTERN TURKEY
An earthquake measuring 4.5 on the Richter scale occurred in Turkey's western province of Sakarya on Wednesday, according to the Kandilli Observatory of the Bogazici University and the Earthquake Research Institute of Turkey.  

WHO revises global tuberculosis estimate up by 500,000
The World Health Organization has revised up its estimate of how many people have tuberculosis by almost 500,000. In 2013 nine million people had developed TB around the world, up from 8.6 million in 2012, the WHO said. However, the number of people dying from TB continued to decline, it added.  

Nato jets 'intercept Russian spy plane' over Baltic
A Russian spy plane has been intercepted by Nato jets over the Baltic Sea, the alliance says, amid heightened tensions in the region. Estonia summoned Russia's ambassador on Wednesday after its military said the Ilyushin-20 plane had entered its airspace for about a minute. But Russia said the plane had been on a training flight and had not violated Estonian airspace.  

Nigeria's Boko Haram 'abducts more women and girls'
Dozens of women and girls from two villages in Nigeria's north-eastern Adamawa state have been abducted by suspected militants, residents say. The abductions have not been confirmed by the authorities, but residents say they took place a day after the military announced it had agreed a ceasefire with the Boko Haram group.  

Honduras drought puts thousands 'at risk' of hunger
More than half a million people in Honduras have been affected by a severe drought, the Red Cross has said. It said the most vulnerable families were in danger of hunger because of the loss of crops, higher food prices and lower incomes for farmers. The Red Cross said some families were selling their belongings and livestock to survive, while others were leaving their homes to escape the drought.  

Report: Palestinians accept US request to delay Security Council bid for statehood
The London-based pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat reported on Thursday that the Palestinian Authority has agreed to delay by two months its plan to seek a Security Council resolution calling for an Israeli withdrawal to the pre-1967 lines within three years. ...The sources said that the PA leadership was nevertheless determined to proceed with the Security Council bid.  

Violence in capital continues as Palestinians hurl stones at kindergarten in east Jerusalem
Jerusalem police said on Thursday that masked Arab assailants hurled stones at a kindergarten in the Ma’aleh Zeitim neighborhood, not far from the Palestinian quarter of Ras al-Amud in the eastern part of the capital. There were no reports of injuries or damage. The assailants fled the scene immediately after the incident. Border Police and regular police personnel are conducting searches of the vicinity.  

Is Hezbollah Preparing a Large Assault on Israel?
This information comes amid many previous reports regarding the marked change in Hezbollah policy in terms of its conduct along the confrontation line with Israel — to wit, the Israeli-Lebanese border as well as the Golan Heights sector, into which Hezbollah has been infiltrating little by little. Lately, the Lebanese Shiite organization has claimed responsibly for attempted terrorist attacks in the Golan Heights, for the first time in many years  

Man arrested after jumping White House fence, causing lockdown
A man jumped the White House fence on Wednesday evening and was attacked by Secret Service dogs before being arrested, a Secret Service spokesman said. "Dogs got him," spokesman Edwin Donovan said, referring to the intruder.  

Bomb blast kills five at bus station in north Nigeria, police say
A bomb exploded at a bus station in northern Nigeria’s Bauchi state late on Wednesday, killing at least five people and wounding 12, police said. The blast, which struck the town of Azare, is likely to be blamed on Islamist Boko Haram militants, casting further doubt on government reports that it had reached a temporary ceasefire with the rebels in order to secure the release of more than 200 schoolgirls they are holding hostage.  

Mexican Prosecutor Says Mayor, Wife Ordered Attack On Students
Mexico's top prosecutor says it a mayor and his wife ordered the attack on 43 students who have been missing for nearly a month. The couple — of the town of Iguala in the southern state of Guerrero — are now fugiti  

Ottawa shootings: Timeline of events
A timeline of the events on Wednesday as Canada's capital witnessed multiple shootings that resulted in the death of a soldier and a suspected gunman. All times are Eastern Daylight Time (GMT-4).  

The World's Second Biggest Retailer Is Getting Hammered As Profits Collapse 90%
Tesco's results are out today for the first half of the year , and they've been hammered. Shares are down more than 5% just as the London Stock Exchange opens Thursday, adding to the last month's brutal sell-off.  

Israel Boycott: 6 Celebrities Who Have Spoken Against Nation
Some artists, authors, academics and celebrities from around the world are boycotting Israel. Singers, bands and actors are refusing to perform or canceling performances after international pressure or incidents they consider oppressive toward Palestinian people. Academics and authors are speaking out and pulling out of participation in forums for the same reasons.  

ISIS Inc.
Oct 23rd, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;War

David Cohen, undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence and who also leads the Treasury Department’s efforts to undermine the Islamic State’s finances, said that the “Islamic State” (ISIS) is amassing close to $1 million per day alone via their illicit oil deals, according to a report by Fox News.

In addition, according to Cohen, kidnappings and ransom payments have provided at least $20 million for the terror group thus far this year. Cohen added that the ISIS’s extortion schemes, in addition to their other criminal activities, is providing several million dollar a month to their coffers.

Illustration to be Handed Out At Public Schools: Human Bible Sexually Assaulting Woman
Oct 23rd, 2014
Daily NewsCNS News
Categories: Today's Headlines;Warning

[Editor's Note: This story includes a lewd image--embedded after the tenth paragraph--that some readers may find disturbing.]

(CNSNews.com) - The Freedom From Religion Foundation, an atheist group, is planning to hand out in several Florida public high schools a pamphlet that features an illustration on its cover depicting a humanized Bible sexually assaulting a young woman.

The pamphlet is entitled: “An X-Rated Book: Sex and Obscenity in the Bible.”

The front cover of the small purple booklet is illustrated with a cartoon Bible--which has arms, legs, face and drooling mouth--sexually assaulting a screaming woman as she tries to escape its grasp.

According to a news release posted on its website, FFRF plans to distribute the pamphlet, along with several other brochures and a few books, in 11 public high schools in Orange County, Florida, in January. Orange County is in central part of the state and includes the city of Orlando.

The materials will be available at the high schools of the Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) on National Religious Freedom Day, which is Jan. 16. Each year, on this day, the OCPS allows outside religious groups to set up a table with pre-approved literature—including Bibles--that students can take if they choose.

Members of the outside groups are allowed to stay near the table and restock it as needed, but they are not allowed to have contact with students per school district rules.

FFRF Legal Counsel Andrew Seidel contended to CNSNews.com that the pamphlet with the cover depicting a Bible engaging in sexual assault is “pretty tame” compared to the Bible itself.

“I think if you look at the content of that brochure and what is actually in the Bible, and some of the things that are in the Bible in terms of sex and compare that to the cover [of the pamphlet], the cover is pretty tame compared to anything that is in the Bible,” Seidel said.

“I think the bottom line is, you can’t consider any of our materials obscene when compared to the Bible,” he said.

The text of the pamphlet includes dozens of snippets from Bible verses that FFRF deems “obscene,” including Biblical passages mentioning sex, nudity and circumcision.

Seidel said that even if the image on the pamphlet does offend Christians, that’s a fair trade-off for how atheists feel when Bibles are passed out in school.

“I think we recognize that it might upset some people, but the Bible upsets many, many non-believers, especially when it’s being pushed in the public schools,” Seidel said. “So really, all it’s doing is placing believers and people who are in the majority in the position that we in the minority have been in for a very long time, and are in every time the government espouses one religion over another. That’s what we feel like all the time.”

FFRF gained the chance to distribute their “An X-Rated Book” pamphlet after engaging in a legal battle with the OCPS.

According to court documents, FFRF protested in 2013 when Orange County Public Schools began allowing World Changers of Florida, a Christian group, to distribute Bibles at 11 public high schools on Freedom of Religion Day.

In response, on Jan. 29, 2013, FFRF announced a plan to begin passing out packets of atheist literature, including “An X-Rated Book,” to the same public high schools that May. David Williamson, an FFRF member, then submitted the group’s literature to the Orange County School Board for consideration before it was going to be distributed, in accordance with the district’s rules.

After reviewing the FFRF materials, however, the school district decided to ban about half of its literature, including “An X-Rated Book.”

In a letter to FFRF dated April 22, OCPS Superintendent Barbara Jenkins explained why some of the group’s literature, including the pamphlet, would not be allowed in the schools.

“An X-Rated Book: This brochure may not be distributed,” Jenkins wrote. “This brochure will cause substantial disruption and is age inappropriate. There is a picture on the cover of a Bible book given human features sticking its hand up the dress of a woman.”

Jenkins added that the pamphlet included information on how to become a member of FFRF, and that the school district may “prohibit the distribution of materials which contain solicitations.”

On June 13, 2013, the FFRF filed a lawsuit against OCPS, claiming the school district had unlawfully discriminated against it and violated its First and Fourteenth Amendment rights, according to court documents.

The OCPS and FFRF then made an agreement.

A Motion to Dismiss handed down in the Orlando District Court on June 3, 2014, states: “On or about January 3, 2014, Defendant unconditionally agreed to allow Plaintiffs to distribute the materials that Defendant had previously prohibited.”

The Motion to Dismiss also says: “Moreover, Defendant represented that it has ‘no intention in the future to prohibit these materials.’”

But, in keeping with a previous Florida court ruling relating to what outside groups can and cannot be distributed in public schools, the court also said in the Motion to Dismiss: “Indeed, Defendant may lawfully prohibit outside groups from distributing materials that are not appropriate for distribution in a school setting with the aim of controlling student conduct in the schools.”

“This includes dissemination of content that is sexually explicit, indecent, lewd, or offensive in such would ‘undermine the school’s basic educational mission,’” the court said.

CNSNews.com called and emailed OCPS and the school district’s legal counsel to find out why the school district had decided to allow FFRF to pass out the materials OCPS had previously banned, given that the court conceded that schools could lawfully prohibit indecent and lewd materials.

Katherine Marsh, communications director for OCPS, stated after speaking with the school district’s legal counsel: “At this time, Legal indicates they have shared what they can since we still are in litigation.”

According to FFRF’s Seidel, the ongoing engagement with OCPS is not over whether FFRF can distribute its materials at the high schools but whether the OCPS will reimburse it for legal costs.

Seidel said he believes the school district backed down from it position banning some of FFRF’s materials after realizing it could not legally keep FFRF from passing out materials while still allowing Bibles to be distributed.

“I think what they tried to say was basically we revisited our initial decision to censor the materials, and have reversed it. I think the reality is probably they were not allowed to do that,” he said. “They cannot approve the Bible, which is full of all the things that are in the pamphlet, and then say that our materials are somehow obscene.”

“And then I think once their litigation and counsel, their lawyer, got to look at all this, he said this is a losing case,” Seidel argued. “The best thing you can do now is approve it and the case will go away, for the most part.”

The Orange County Public Schools’ 2014-15 Student Code of Conduct states under its Rights of Speech/Expression subsection that a student has the right “To have one’s religious beliefs respected.”

The code also states students have a responsibility “To respect the religious beliefs of others and to refrain from activities that hold religious beliefs up to ridicule,” and “To follow the rules of responsible journalism under the guidance of an advisor, including seeking complete information about topics and refraining from publishing libelous or obscene material.”

CNSNews.com asked OCPS whether the controversial cover of “An X-Rated Book” contradicts the rights and responsibilities the schools place on its students. The school district also did not respond to this question on that basis that they are still in litigation.

According to Seidel, OCPS is the first school district the group has targeted for distribution of its materials--but it won’t be the last.

“We’re focusing on Orange County for the moment, but we will probably be expanding to other school districts that allow this,” he explained.

Gunman in Ottawa Attack Planned to Leave for Syria
Oct 23rd, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Site of Ottawa shooting attack

Reuters

The gunman who carried out Wednesday’s shooting attack in the Canadian capital Ottawa had recently applied for a passport and was hoping to leave for Syria, the country’s top cop said on Thursday, according to the Globe and Mail.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Commissioner Bob Paulson said 32-year-old Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, who acted alone and may have had Libyan-Canadian citizenship, had been in Ottawa since at least October 2 and was here to “deal with a passport issue.”

Commissioner Paulson told reporters Thursday that Zehaf-Bibeau, who was killed in Centre Block’s hallway outside the Library of Parliament, was not one of the 90 “high-risk travellers” currently being investigated and tracked by Canadian authorities.

He was, however, was on the radar of the federal force, which had uncorroborated information that he was associated with an individual “known to us,” Commissioner Paulson said.

He added Zehaf-Bibeau’s “e-mail was found on the hard-drive” of someone that the RCMP had charged with a terrorist-related offence, though he added the force needs to understand what, exactly, that means.

Commissioner Paulson said that after Zehaf-Bibeau applied for a passport, the RCMP was contacted to conduct a background check.

“The RCMP did not possess information at that time that would reveal any national-security-related criminality,” he said, according to the Globe and Mail, adding that his criminal record indicated infractions related to drugs, violence and “other criminal activities.”

The Montreal man’s passport application wasn’t rejected, but hadn’t yet been approved because the investigation was ongoing to determine whether he should receive one, the report noted. Commissioner Paulson said the impetus for the shootings are not yet known, but authorities believe the passport is “part” of the man’s motivation.

He revealed that it was Zehaf-Bibeau’s mother, Susan Bibeau, who told police on Wednesday that her son was looking to travel to Syria.

Commissioner Paulson, who fielded questions about whether authorities have the powers and resources they need to find and track radicalized individuals, said the force will continue to exercise “increased vigilance” until the full threat to Canadians is determined – including by ramping up surveillance of the 93 high-risk travellers currently under investigation across the country.

“We’re sitting down with CSIS and re-evaluating all of our individuals to make sure that those that present the greatest risk are assessed and have resources attributed to them,” he said, adding that the force has no imminent intention of making any arrests.

The commissioner said Zehab-Bibeau purchased a beige vehicle on October 21, the day before the deadly attack, and then used the car to get from the cenotaph, where he killed Corporal Nathan Cirillo, to the foot of the parliamentary precinct.

Commissioner Paulson said that according to some accounts, the gunman was “an individual who may have held extremist beliefs.” He said that while authorities are convinced there was only one shooter, the investigation will reveal whether he had any support in the planning or execution of the shootings.

Wednesday’s attack in Ottawa came just two days after a 25-year-old who converted to Islam last year, rammed his car into two soldiers in the Quebec town of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu and was shot dead by police. One of the soldiers later died.

It also took place one day after Canada’s federal government raised its internal threat level, citing an increase in “general chatter from radical Islamist organizations”.

Ebola Death Toll Could be Three Times Higher: WHO
Oct 23rd, 2014
Daily NewsFrance24
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

At least 4,877 people have died in the world’s worst recorded outbreak of Ebola as of Oct. 19, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday, but the true toll may be three times as much.

At least 9,936 cases of the disease had been recorded, according to the WHO, but the actual numbers may be three times higher.

The WHO has said real numbers of cases are believed to be much higher than reported: by a factor of 1.5 in Guinea, 2 in Sierra Leone and 2.5 in Liberia, while the death rate is thought to be about 70 percent of all cases. That would suggest a toll of almost 15,000.

Liberia has been worst hit, with 4,665 recorded cases and 2,705 deaths, followed by Sierra Leone with 3,706 cases and 1,259 deaths. Guinea, where the outbreak originated, has had 1,540 cases and 904 deaths.

On Friday the WHO put the toll about 300 lower with more than 745 fewer cases.

In the past week, transmission of the disease was most intense in the capital cities of Monrovia and Freetown, while Guinea’s capital Conakry reported 18 confirmed cases, its second highest weekly total since the outbreak began.

Although Ebola has been contained in Nigeria and Senegal, the disease is spreading towards Ivory Coast in both Liberia and Guinea, including in Guinea’s Kankan district on a major trade route with Mali. Kankan saw its first case in the past week.

However, the WHO said the Liberian district of Lofa had seen a third consecutive week of decline in the number of cases, which reports from observers suggested was a result of disease control measures.

Among the thousands of cases are 443 health care workers, 244 of whom have died. The WHO said it was undertaking extensive investigations to determine why so many had caught the disease.
“Early indications are that a substantial proportion of infections occurred outside the context of Ebola treatment and care,” it said.

A U.N. plan to stop the epidemic, known as 70-70-60, involves isolating at least 70 percent of cases and safely burying at least 70 percent of those who die by Dec. 1, a 60-day deadline from the start of the plan. That is supposed to rise to 100 percent by the 90-day deadline on Jan. 1.

The number of isolation beds had increased substantially to 1,126 but remained only 25 percent of the 4,388 expected to be needed in 50 Ebola treatment units. There were also firm commitments from foreign medical teams to staff only 30 units.

Without those beds in those units, families have to care for sick relatives at home and risk infection.

The WHO also estimates 28 laboratories are needed in the three worst-hit countries, with 12 now in place, and 20,000 staff will be needed to keep track of people who have had contact with Ebola patients and may be at risk.

The three worst-hit countries will also need 230 dead-body-management teams by Dec. 1, it said. They have 140.

Disproving the Doubters
Oct 23rd, 2014
Commentarycreationmoments.com
Categories: Creation - Evolution

Modern criticism of the Bible began in the late 1700s and has continued to this day. The usual claim, often from Bible scholars, has been that the Bible is nothing more than error-filled human writings. Before serious excavation work had begun in the mid-1800s, scholars felt free to consider lack of evidence as proof that people, cities, and even whole nations mentioned in the Bible never existed. It didn't seem to matter to them that they had never even bothered to look for the evidence.

Soon, biblical archaeology started finding the evidences. And with each discovery, the critics' pronouncements about errors in the Bible began to crumble. One example is the biblical record of Joshua's leadership of Israel in occupying the promised land. Joshua 10:10-11 reports how Joshua defeated Hazor, burning the city to the ground. All this had been dismissed by the doubters, but then archaeologists found the ruins of Hazor. The ruins clearly showed destruction by an intense fire. The fire had been so hot that adobe had been baked lobster red, stones had been changed by the heat of the fire, and the ashes of the city were five feet deep!

Every claim that there is error in the Bible has been based upon lack of knowledge. Let's face it, no matter what the subject, including history, God has more knowledge than we do!

Climate Change Proved to be 'Nothing But a Lie', Claims Top Meteorologist
Oct 23rd, 2014
Daily NewsRunner's World
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

THE debate about climate change is finished - because it has been categorically proved NOT to exist, one of the world's leading meteorologists has claimed.

John Coleman, who co-founded the Weather Channel, shocked academics by insisting the theory of man-made climate change was no longer scientifically credible.

Instead, what 'little evidence' there is for rising global temperatures points to a 'natural phenomenon' within a developing eco-system.

In an open letter attacking the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, he wrote: "The ocean is not rising significantly.

"The polar ice is increasing, not melting away. Polar Bears are increasing in number.

"Heat waves have actually diminished, not increased. There is not an uptick in the number or strength of storms (in fact storms are diminishing).

"I have studied this topic seriously for years. It has become a political and environment agenda item, but the science is not valid."

Mr Coleman said he based many of his views on the findings of the NIPCC, a non-governmental international body of scientists aimed at offering an 'independent second opinion of the evidence reviewed by the IPCC.'
He added: "There is no significant man-made global warming at this time, there has been none in the past and there is no reason to fear any in the future.

"Efforts to prove the theory that carbon dioxide is a significant greenhouse gas and pollutant causing significantwarming or weather effects have failed.

"There has been no warming over 18 years."

The IPCC argue their research shows that man-made global warming will lead to extreme weather events becoming more frequent and unpredictable.

US News and World Report noted that many of the world’s largest businesses, including Coke, Pepsi, Walmart, Nestle, Mars, Monsanto, Kellogg, General Mills, Microsoft, and IBM, "are now engaged and actively responding to climate science and data."

Mr Coleman's comments come as President Barack Obama came under fire from climatologists as federal data revealed The United State's energy-related carbon pollution rose 2.5 per cent despite the President's pledges to decrease it.

President Obama told 120 world leaders at the United Nations climate summit last month that America had done more under his watch in cutting greenhouse gases than any other country.

Despite this, the Energy Information Administration's Monthly Energy Review showed an increase in the use of energy from coal.

World leaders have pledged to keep the global average temperature from rising two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels to prevent the worst consequences of climate change.

The US, along with the UK and other developed countries, is expected to pledge further actions on climate change early next year.

Climate expert William Happer, from Princeton University, supported Mr Coleman's claims.

He added: "No chemical compound in the atmosphere has a worse reputation than CO2, thanks to the single-minded demonisation of this natural and essential atmospheric gas by advocates of government control and energy production.
"The incredible list of supposed horrors that increasing carbon dioxide will bring the world is pure belief disguised as science."
In 2010 a high-level inquiry by the InterAcademy Council found there was "little evidence" to support the IPCC's claims about global warming.
It also said the panel had purposely emphasized the negative impacts of climate change and made "substantive findings" based on little proof.

I'm glad that's over.

Canadian Shooter Was Recent Muslim Convert
Oct 23rd, 2014
Daily NewsThe Dailer Caller
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Canadian authorities have identified the shooter who killed a soldier in Ottawa Wednesday as Michael Zehaf-Bibeau — a recent convert to Islam.

Zehaf-Bibeau shot a soldier, 24-year-old Corporal Nathan Cirillo, at Ottawa’s National War Memorial, then entered the Canadian Parliament and fired several more rounds before the House of Commons Sergeant-At-Arms, Kevin Vickers, shot and killed him.

The suspect was a Canadian citizen, born in 1982. The Globe and Mail reports that Canadian authorities recently designated Zehaf-Bibeau as a “high-risk traveler” and seized his passport. He was born in Quebec as Michael Joseph Hall, but changed his name recently when he converted to Islam.

He also reportedly has a criminal history of drug trafficking in Montreal and robbery in Vancouver, before his conversion.

The Canadian government said that it’s early in the investigation but they haven’t yet found ties to Islamic terorrism. Ottawa police spokesman Chuck Benoit told CBS that there may have been two or three gunmen involved in the incident, and there’s at least one other suspect still at large.

Others have connected the shooting to an attack on Monday when a radical Islamist killed a Canadian soldier with his car. The jihadist was killed by police shortly afterward.

Canada raised its national terrorism alert on Tuesday after the attack from “low” to “medium.”

Witnesses reported that the gunman was wearing an “Arabic style scarf, a kaffiyeh,” said freelance journalist Justin Ling, who was present at the shooting.

“Given the coordinated nature of the attack it seems to be obviously inspired by radical ideology,” Ling said Wednesday. “I know, for a fact, the security intelligence agency had been monitoring up to 90 individuals they believed were radicalized and capable of carrying out attacks. They told us that the man from Monday was one of those 90, I think it’s clear that however many there were today were on there too.”

Canada PM and Other Leaders Address Nation After Attack
Oct 23rd, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Canadian PM Stephen Harper

Reuters

Wednesday morning's attack of the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa, resulted in the death of soldier, Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, who was identified by his cousin in a Facebook post. 

Sources identified the suspected shooter, who was gunned down by law enforcement in Centre Block - the main building of the Canadian parliamentary complex - as 32-year-old Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, a possible convert to Islam.

The suspect was known to Canadian authorities and had had his passport seized, similar to Martin Couture-Rouleau, the suspect of Monday's terror-linked attack in Quebec.

The lockdown of downtown Ottawa and the Parliament complex lasted into the evening, only ending at 8:25 p.m. ET, when the safety perimeter was lifted. Police said there was no longer “a threat to public safety” in the downtown area, but police operations continued “and as such the Parliament Hill continues to be off limits to the public.”

In his statement to the nation, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said we will learn more about the “terrorist and any accomplices he may have had” in the days to come.

“This is a grim reminder that Canada is not immune to the types of terrorist attacks we have seen elsewhere around the world,” he said.

“Canada will never be intimidated. In fact, this will lead us to strengthen our resolve and redouble our efforts and those of our national security agencies to take all necessary steps to identify and counter threats and keep Canada safe here at home.”

NDP Opposition Leader Thomas Mulcair spoke after Harper, stating that Wednesday’s events have “only succeeded in drawing us closer, in making us stronger.”

“To the brave women and men of law enforcement, our security services and our Canadian Forces I want to say that your determination, your professionalism and indeed your heroism today will not soon be forgotten.”

Finally, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau addressed Canadians, saying Canada has “never been innocent” to the threats it faces.

“We have never let those threats shape us. … We will get answers to how and why this happened. They will be vital in preventing any future attack,” Trudeau added.

Attacker on Parliament Hill Came Close to Stephen Harper
Oct 23rd, 2014
Daily NewsOttawa Citizen
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

On Wednesday morning, Prime Minister Stephen Harper walked into Room 237-C in the heart of Parliament Hill’s Centre Block for the weekly gathering of the Conservative caucus.

In recent days, he had been absorbed – both publicly and behind closed doors – with the apparent threat posed by lone-wolf attackers who might become “radicalized” by Islamic extremists abroad.

Within about 30 minutes, his and the nation’s security would explode in a flurry of gunfire just outside the door of the room where he and dozens of MPs and senators were gathered.

From their leather-backed seats in what’s called the “Reading Room,” its towering walls bedecked with historic murals from the 1920s, Tory MPs and senators were discussing issues under the usual cloak of secrecy.

At the front of the room, likely sitting at his normal spot on a raised dais, was Harper.

Then, in the hallway outside, shots began ringing out in rapid succession. Five, then 10, then 20 or 30, some believe. Possibly more.

A gunman had entered the Centre Block  just moments before, and had walked right by the door leading into the room containing Harper and his Conservatives. He was killed by security.

Following security protocol, Harper was quickly whisked from Parliament Hill to an undisclosed location.

At 10:20 a.m., Harper’s director of communications, Jason MacDonald, tweeted: ”@pmharper is safe and has left Parliament Hill.”

Inside the caucus room, however, pandemonium quickly ensued. Conservative MPs piled chairs as high as they could against all the doors inside the room as a barricade to keep out the shooter.

Former Mounties such as Tory MPs David Wilks and Rob Clarke helped secure the room and keep Conservative caucus members as calm as possible, according to some inside the room.

“Mom Im okay Im in hiding,” tweeted Conservative cabinet minister Michelle Rempel, who escaped from the caucus room and ran upstairs to barricade herself in another room. “Is it clear people? shots were outside caucus room,” she later tweeted.

A picture posted on Twitter and credited to Conservative MP Nina Grewal showed green chairs from the Tory caucus room piled up against a door, and MPs glued to their phones taking calls or sending messages.

“Shots fired just outside our caucus meeting. Am ok,” tweeted Conservative MP Eve Adams, parliamentary secretary to the health minister.

Treasury Board president Tony Clement told the Ottawa Citizen: “Well, it all happened so fast. Two booms then lots of gunfire. Some of us escaped while others barricaded themselves.”

Now, in the wake of the shooting that left a Canadian soldier dead, parliamentarians in shock, and much of downtown Ottawa in lockdown well into the evening, the prime minister faces one of the biggest challenges of his political career.

Earlier in the week, a Canadian soldier in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que. was run down by a vehicle operated by a man whom the government said had been “radicalized.”

“This was a despicable act of violence that strikes against not just this soldier and his colleagues but frankly against our very values as a civilized democracy,” Harper had told the Commons on Tuesday.

Now, after the unprecedented twin attacks at Canada’s War Memorial and Parliament Hill, an intense spotlight will shine on how the Conservative government tightens security measures against radicalized attackers opposed to this country’s policies, such as the military mission against ISIL in Iraq.

At 12:06 p.m., another statement by the PMO’s MacDonald was released, which referred to the earlier attack at the National War Memorial and on Parliament Hill.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who were attacked. The Prime Minister is safe and not on Parliament Hill and being briefed by security officials. “

MacDonald said the police “continue to do their important work and we are still gathering the facts.”

With that, Harper burrowed down with officials to review the attack – what was known about the gunman and whether other suspects might still be on the loose – and prepared to make a statement to Canadians during the evening.

By 1 p.m., Harper was meeting with RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson; his office did not divulge the location.

At 2:28 p.m., the PMO tweeted a photo of Harper speaking to U.S. President Barack Obama on the phone about the attack.

Meanwhile, Harper also spoke to NDP Leader Tom Mulcair and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau. The NDP caucus had been meeting directly across the hall from the Tories and its members were also fortunate that the attacker did not enter their room. The Liberals had been holding their caucus meeting at the time of the attack in a room one floor below the Tories and NDP.

At 2:25 p.m., the PMO released a statement saying that Harper was “thankful that Mr. Mulcair and Mr. Trudeau are safe.

“The Prime Minister reiterated the importance of the continued functioning of the government and our Parliament,” said the PMO.

“While the Prime Minister stated that facts are still being gathered, he condemned this despicable attack.”

At 4:08 p.m., the PMO tweeted a photo of Harper in a phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

As the crisis evolved, cabinet ministers began gathering with Harper.

At 6:08 p.m., the PMO tweeted a photo of Harper meeting with Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird, Defence Minister Rob Nicholson, Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney and Justice Minister Peter MacKay.

Then, soon after 8 p.m., a sombre Harper delivered a brief televised address to the nation, vowing that Canada would not be intimidated by terrorists.

“This week’s events are a grim reminder that Canada is not immune to the types of terrorist attacks we have seen elsewhere around the world,” he said.

“Let there be no misunderstanding. We will not be intimidated. Canada will never be intimidated.”

Following his speech to the nation, Harper addressed fellow Conservative parliamentarians Wednesday night at the Lester B. Pearson building.

Harper’s wife, Laureen, and Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird ordered pizza.

“Good way for everyone to unwind,” said one MP.

Abbas's Fatah Pledges 'Loyalty' to Jerusalem Terrorist
Oct 23rd, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Antisemitism

Mahmoud Abbas

Flash 90

Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas's senior aid Sultan Abu Al-Einen already hailed the Hamas murderer of a baby in Jerusalem on Wednesday as a "hero" - now Abbas's Fatah party is keeping the terror glorification going.

Abdelrahman Shaludi of the Shiloach (Silwan) neighborhood rammed his car into a crowd of Israelis at the Ammunition Hill light rail station, wounding nine including three-month-old Chaya Zisel Braun hy''d who was fatally injured. Shaludi was shot by police as he tried to escape, and later died of his wounds.

Abbas's Fatah faction posted an obituary for the terrorist on its official Facebook page Thursday, as revealed Palestinian Media Watch (PMW), in which it called his death "his wedding" in a reference to the Islamic belief that "martyrs" are wedded to 72 virgins in paradise.

"The Palestinian National Liberation Movement (Fatah) - Silwan branch accompanies to his wedding the heroic martyr Abdelrahman Shaludi, who carried out the Jerusalem operation, in which settlers in the occupied city of Jerusalem were run over," wrote Fatah.

The page of Abbas's "moderate" Fatah then addressed the dead terrorist with the words "rest in peace! We are loyal to you."

In the post an image of Shaludi was included, with text on it reading (Koran, Sura 3:169) "and never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision.

'Islamic State' Seizes Anbar District Village
Oct 23rd, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;War

The Albu Nimr tribe, which has been fighting the forces of the “Islamic State” (ISIS) since the beginning of the month finally lost the western Anbar district village of Zawiyat Albu Nimr, tonight (Thursday), reports Reuters.